THE HOST
by Dalton Mars
Summary: Having been betrayed and taken advantage of, Harry sends his memories back in time to his younger self serving those memories to be his subconscious which will take control of the young Harry Potter every now and then to make sure that this Harry Potter lives the life he was actually meant to live. Dark Harry. Considerable bashing of certain characters. Apologies for mistakes. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

I saw her lying on the ground, the wind which blew around us had started to cover her body with dirt and soil. A tear rolled down my cheeks.

A hundred years!

That's how much she lived. The girl who had come to be my bestest friend and...and probably a lot more. Only I could never realise it in time. I was too blind to take notice of her. I was too loyal to some people who had actually never wished any good to me. Those freaks...now I get it why my uncle always called my kind freaks. Though my aunt had a reason to blame the fame and wealth of my father, uncle Vernon had his own reasons.

The bigotry of a society the magical world was, I would hardly doubt them casting off a squib out of the society. Though I never actually got to learn from which pureblood family my uncle was, but it was clear that he was from a pureblood line of magical family. Poor aunt Petunia. She never came to know about her husband or rather she did. I never actually got to see them after I started for the horcrux hunt – a shit job which was completely unnecessary. Had I known better about it, had I used a little bit of my brain, had I listened to her. The situations would've been different right now. But looking at where it actually led me...I wouldn't blame anyone if they come to call me a paranoid person. I am a hundred and twelve years old. Paranoia tends to hit one that much older.

I sighed. The tears had stopped coming out and had dried upon my wrinkled cheeks. I had seen battles and after taking part in many of them after I defeated that bastard of a dark wizard I have come to realise one thing – morality would lead you to perish.

And that was what those control freaks wanted for me to happen. And I never realised it! How foolish was I? All that abuses the Durseleys gave me...all that...those lies I was told and I believed them to be nothing but true...all those people I trusted with my life who betrayed me...they should've died a horrible death.

But they didn't.

The condition of the magical world had worsened. I always wondered why it always stuck in the living styles of nineteenth century. Now I know. It was because of the hunger of power. The leader of light? He was the actual dark lord and not the one whom the world considered one. But even the later couldn't be blamed. He had been manipulated for so long that he could not turn back anymore from the point of paranoia he had reached. His end was the only thing which could bring him to stop.

I remember realising that my entire life had been a lie just a year ago and had come to know what actually happened to my REAL friends who were ACTUALLY loyal to me.

They had been murdered in cold blood and their wealth, political seats had been captured by those pureblood bigots. And my one best friend? her life had become a lot worse than I could ever imagine.

I looked at her still cold body once more and formed a scowl. This one year had given me enough sorrows that my last drops of tears had fallen out of my eyes. There were none left and I could already feel the dryness of my eyes.

I crouched down, leaned towards her. My paranoia taking the best of me. I kissed her, one last time. She had come to me just a month ago after that bastard found her out. I wasn't home and didn't know of his plans and that's when he attacked her, but not before taking away her dignity for one last time. A mudblood was shown her place in the magical world according to him.

I kept her body for a whole week after that incident and now I am sting beside her cold, lifeless body, wishing to cry for one last time. But I can't. They took away everything I had. And I just let them.

I leaned down, kept my head on her cold chest and tried to weep, hoping that now cold touch would help me shed some tears. But nothing happened. Crying helped. I had learnt it the moment I came to my senses in the house of the Durseleys. But I couldn't cry anymore. I was too sober, too betrayed to.

"I am sorry!" I said with a whimper and placed a hand on hers. And then I felt something in her palm. I looked up, my eyes a bit wide than before. I didn't need to see a bloody mirror to tell that they had gone red. I could almost feel the burns in my eyes. But I looked at that pale face. She looked so calm. Death had given her something she had longed for so long after 92 years.

She was resting in peace and I could tell that by looking at her calm face.

Then I descended down my sight and stopped it on her closed fist. Both her hands were. I reached with my hands and tried to open the cold, tight fist. It was too strong for my fragile old body to open but I finally did it.

It was a crumpled piece of parchment, folded in her hand for a whole week. And it reminded me of the incident which took place in my second year. I shivered recalling her past state of petrification. Looking at her now, she looked exactly like she'd been petrified.

I opened the parchment. It had gone soft over the week but the print was still readable. It was written in her writing after all. And a minute later I couldn't believe what she had come up with. I folded the parchment and looked at her face and a faint smile came upon my lips after a long time.

"Still won't give up on me, huh?" I said and chuckled. I knew she'd not want me now to sit beside her and weep the latter of which I couldn't do. So I got up with whatever my body could bear the strain of and using wandless magic, levitated her to the grave. No one would find her resting place; I had made sure of that. If not for her living period, she'd get the peace she was worthy of in the other world – away from those monster...away from me.

"That's right, Hermione," I said with a small smile, "I am blaming myself once again and guess what, I am missing your glares and scolding you gave me whenever I did it." And then a minute's pause. "I will see you again, Hermione and this time, we will be together for real and forever."

Saying rose words I rose from the ground and dusting my pants off the dirt, turned around and taking the support of my cane, walked towards the shabby flat which was my hiding place. I knew her plan was waiting there for me. I smiled. So Hermione.

Opening the gate with a creak which was clearly unpleasant for my ears, I stepped in and closed the doors behind me. The place was dark and dirty. But living in the magical world for this long had me get accustomed to living in dirty places. Except for Hogwarts, I hadn't seen a clean place. Well, the ministry could be an exception if I were to ignore the kind of people who worked there. I walked up the stairs which lead me to the closed room which was actually of the owners of the place whom that bastard red headed freak had killed a week ago when he had come looking for Hermione. That made me realised that even after that old bastard was gone, after those Weaselys had robbed me of my wealth and power, I was still being watched; my movements were being recorded and reported. And that had made me angry and now that I had an opportunity to relive them all once more, I would become that one thing Dumbledore truly feared of. I would show him that not everything happens according to the way of his plans.

Now standing on the drawn runes on the rickety wooden floor of the only room on the top floor of the house, I looked at the parchment for one last time, memorising the spell I needed to cast. It was a good thing I had learnt wandless magic because currently I didn't have a wand to cast a spell.

I let the paper fall on the floor and said the spell, my hand in an open position, pointing towards the master sign of the rune.

I closed my eyes due to the massive amount of light the runes generated and then the whole place started to shake. I smiled. How could she ever be wrong?

An explosion happened and I felt one last feeling of pain before my body, the floor and the whole house blasted inside out, leaving no signs of any life inside it.


	2. Chapter 2

Pain. The first thing I remember is pain.

I open my eyes to find myself in a small room filled with racks upon which several household stuff is kept. Then there's a small, broken table whose broken leg has been somehow made to stand by tying it with a rope. A small horse and knight toy is on the table, looking at me.

I groan when I realise I am actually in pain. Then I realise where it is coming from when I finally come to my full senses. And smile, forgetting about the pain for the moment.

'You did it Hermione,' I thought and grinned but the pain in my chest forced me not to. I involuntarily placed my left hand upon my chest. Probably two ribs were broken.

Not surprised.

I was in my five year old body right now and knew I would have to wait. So I let that part in motion which would haste it all up a little bit. I let go off the control of my body, or rather the body of my younger self. After all, I was just a subconscious of my younger self. Hermione had come up with a truly brilliant idea. The situation I was in, no one could find out anything about me if they tried to read my mind.

So I laid back on, with no control over my body at the moment, I could be relieved of the pain but not my body. It needed healing but his core was too low for me to magically heal him. Good thing? He would eventually be in my control without even knowing it.

I woke up an hour later due to the loud banging on the door. Needless to say, it was Vernon.

"Get up, boy!" he screamed as he banged hard on the cupboard door, making the door break but it never actually happened. "Get up and get the breakfast ready!" he screamed and after banging for a few more times, he went away.

Through his subconscious, I could see my younger self getting up from the small broken bed. He switched on the light and searched for his broken glasses. They were completely useless. First of all, they weren't of the power he'd require and second of all, the lenses had cracks all over them, thanks to Vernon and Dudley who'd always target his face first.

I could feel his pain a little bit. He had almost no energy to even stand up. Probably another week without any food. I was not surprised. But then his life was about to change. But he'll have to wait.

As years passed, things got worse. I could feel my younger self's body almost coming to its breaking point. It was only a miracle how he or rather I had survived the decade before going to Hogwarts where I was spared from all those abuses for almost a year. That much time was almost enough for me to recuperate back from the beating and pain with which I would climb up the car of Hogwarts Express.

I smiled when the first letter came through the normal post. Dudley saw it and snatched the letter away from me. I let him. It wouldn't even matter if I didn't let him. He was stronger than me, taller than me and could easily kick or punch me to get the letter and would be praised by his parents for that.

Vernon saw the letter and his face paled. Probably for some other reason. I knew what it was. He was afraid he'd see Dumbledore soon at his doorstep. Anyway, he didn't let me see the letter until the very next day, after he was sitting leisurely on the couch after sealing the letter slot on his door when the entire house began to shake as if we were hit by a mild earthquake. I knew what it was but the Durseleys didn't. They all got up from their places. Dudley came to the living room from his room running screaming earthquake when suddenly, from the chimneys a hoard of letters started to come out. Then the glass panes of the windows shattered as letters from there also started to some as well. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley were screaming. I was standing calm, a smile on my face when a letter fell on my head and I picked it up and tore off the seal. Vernon saw this and leapt towards me. having not eaten for days and on top of that with broken ribs, I was sure I couldn't bear the hippo's tackle so I threw the letter at him before his one fat body could hit me.

Vernon caught the letter and just like he'd suspected, it carried the seal of Hogwarts.

"Pack your bags!" he screamed though the rustling of the flying letters which were still pouring in inside the house. "We are going away for a few days!"

Petunia nodded while Dudley had gripped her hard on her waist, hiding behind her.

July 31st. My eleventh birthday. I lay on the stony floor, using the dirt and sand on it; I drew myself a cake with eleven candles on it. Though it had seemed childish, I was in my eleven year old's body. I could hear the loud snores of my uncle and cousin. They were so loud that they failed the loudness of the storm outside.

Suddenly the door burst open. It was thrown away, breaking its hinges off the stony wall. My three relatives woke up quickly and Vernon grabbed his shotgun he used to sleep with since the day we had come here.

I smiled when I saw the half giant's shadow. A humble man, his life was just like me. He was an honest, loyal friend to me back in my timeline but only he was manipulated by Dumbledore.

00000

We entered the Diagon Alley. I was planning to shake hands with Quirrell, ending that pathetic professor's life then and there in the Leaky Cauldron but the man was smart enough to stand at least two feet away from me.

As Hagrid left me at the Ollivander's after I had done the rest of my shopping, I bought the wand, my former one – a phoenix feather core wand. Knowing it was only helpful for me to battle with Voldemort, who was not going to be my primary nemesis this time, I decided to get another wand. I knew Ollivander, though a good man was loyal to Dumbledore. He wasn't much loyal to him but still was loyal in some ways. Like everyone else, he believed Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald. Such a fool.

I thanked him for the wand after he expressed his curiousness, telling me how the core of my wand was shared by the one who killed my parents. I forced myself from rolling my eyes and stayed calm but also displayed my surprised look to the old wand maker when a knock on the window got my attention away from the old man and towards my familiar. A smile came up on my face when I saw Hagrid after such a long time. Her beauty was still incomparable to any other owl in the world. She had an advantage because of that as if she flew high enough among the clouds, hardly anyone could see her. But then it also had a disadvantage for her at night when she was easily spotted.

Paying the wand maker, I walked out of the shop and thanked Hagrid for the present when the half giant looked at his watch and exclaimed how late he was. He looked down upon me and asked if I could go back on my own to which I nodded my head. I actually needed him to leave me alone. I had some work to do.

Once Hagrid left me, I used my wandless magic to shrink my belongings and put them in my pocket and then let Hedwig fly away. She knew when to come back to me and so losing her while she was alive was not a thing going to happen. I then walked towards a certain direction where only cloaked witches and wizard were going. While walking, I waved my hand and silently casted a slight glamour charm, powerful enough for me to hide my scar and give my face a bit scary look like I was a kid who had taken a wrong or dark path, something I was now considering to take after knowing the things which had been planned for me.

I didn't meet any disturbances. The people saw me and ignored me. This was the first time in Knockturn Alley that I hadn't been ambushed. I was glad it didn't happen like that.

Walking for ten minutes, I finally found the shop I was looking for. Wilson's Woodwork was an infamous shop in the alley known for making wands of numerous cores. Theo Wilson was a fresher in the wand lore academy when Ollivander graduated from it. The course was a tiring one which took seven extra years to master the art of wand making. And unlike Ollivander, who believed that witches and wizards should have core powerful enough to not make the wand wielders obsessed with it, Theo's theory was just the opposite. No wonder why many pureblood families, be them dark, light or grey, bought a second wand from his shop every now and then.

Entering the shop, I found it empty of any other customer apart from me and an old lady who was about to leave. Once she left, I walked over to the counter and in a heavy voice asked for a powerful wand which would be untraceable. Theo looked at me long enough for me o understand that he wasn't going to do the asked job until I threw some galleons at him. So I dipped my hand in my pocket and pulled out a handful of galleons seeing which his eyes glowed with greed and lust towards that money and grabbing it like it was a food for a weak hungry man, threw it in his pocket and left the counter and came a while later with three boxes. None were of the core one would find at Ollivander's. As he informed me of those wands, I came to know that one had the core of a werewolf, one had the core of a basilisk and one had the core of a kitsune, a magical fox not found in magical Britain. I picked each of the wand one at a time until the one with the basilisk core one accepted me. Telling him that I would need the basilisk core wand, I then asked him for an auror grade wand holster after throwing some more galleons at his face. He went away from the counter and came back a little while later with a brand new wand holster I recognised was of top grade and quality. It was resistant to disarming hexes and could help the caster to summon his or her wand in case they had lost it during the battle or the duel. I could see not even Moody had this wand holster but would surely know about it. It was of a class beyond that of the auror category holsters. And I liked it very much.

Coming out of the Knockturn Alley, I let my glamour charm on as I didn't want to attract any unwanted attention. I then headed for Gringotts once more, planning to meet Ragnok, the heir to the throne of the goblin rulers. Entering the bank, I straightaway walked up to one of the teller and greeted him with respect which surprised the being. I then asked him that I was looking forward to meet Ragnok who was actually the Potter vault manager unlike Griphook, who was actually working for Dumbledore and was stealing money from my vault and giving it to him and Weaselys. Thankfully, Griphook wasn't there on the floor at the moment. I smiled. He probably went to inform Dumbledore how things went out. Well, he was wrong.

The teller returned a minute later and told me to follow him and ten minutes later I was standing in a grand office which surely represented of the one who was next to the throne of the Goblin ruler.

"Welcome, Mr Potter," a voice said as a small yet very scarred and ferocious looking goblin entered the office. Looking at him reminded me of Moody. I knew goblins were a warrior race and keeping the scars was an honour among them as it represented how much battles they had been in. It was true that the goblins still fought, though not with the magical humans anymore as the ministry prevented them to and this pissed them off. not known to many, it was the humans who were the prime cause of the goblin rebellion. However, I shook those thoughts aside and greeted goblin king's heir and bowed with dignity. I saw from the corner of my eyes, Ragnok wasn't surprised.

"Greetings, vault keeper Ragnok. May the blood of your enemies continue to flow," I said and bowed.

"Greetings, Mr Potter," Ragnok said. "To what do I owe you?"

"I came here to see whether my parents left any will for me," I said.

Ragnok smiled. "I was wondering when you'd come," he said. "I was informed by one of my assistants that you were in the bank almost an hour ago. So I waited for you but you never came to visit me. I thought maybe you were short of time, something which we goblins value very much."

"The one who accompanied me was the one who was actually in a hurry," I said with a faint smile. "He was here on some business of Dumbledore."

"Hmm, we know about the business but because of security measures we can't disclose it to anyone," Ragnok said.

"I understand," I said. "I came here to, like I said; see whether my parents left any will to be read."

"They actually have," Ragnok said but then his face went grim. "But I am afraid to say that your parents' will has been dissolved."

I wasn't surprised. Dumbledore had already dissolved the will the other day of my parents' death. But there was another way which would work.

"I see," I said. "Would there be any possible way for me to be emancipated? That way, I can renew the validity of my parents' will."

Ragnok smiled a feral grin. Surely, he wanted me to read the will and get what was left for me.

"I can see that you came prepared," he said. "That will be done, Mr Potter." And saying that, he snapped his finger and a folder appeared along with a small bowl and a knife. "You will undergo a blood ritual, only legal within the grounds of Gringotts Bank, and that way you will get your emancipation."

"I am ready, vault manager Ragnok," I said.

Ragnok smiled and opened the folder, taking out a yellow parchment which looked to be quiet old. "You are the third Potter to be taking the underage emancipation exam," Ragnok said.

"Who were the ones before me?" I asked.

"Your great - great grandfather, Morpheus and the first Potter ever, Charles," Ragnok said.

I nodded, making him see that I was understanding what he said. Then he pushed the knife and bowl towards me.

"For the test, I require your blood," Ragnok said. "Slit your palm and collect your blood in the bowl. Once you've done it, your palm will be healed automatically."

I nodded and picking up the knife, slit my palm. The red blood oozed from my palm like thin water. I noticed my blood was actually thin because of all the physical torture my body had undergone throughout the decade. I wasn't surprised but Ragnok was. He had noticed the thinness of my blood and was curious. I saw him examining me from top to bottom through his goblin eyes. Surely, he had noticed my undergrowth and thin physique. I didn't say anything. I didn't want to unless he'd ask me which I knew he wouldn't.

Once enough blood was collected in the bowl, I removed my palm which got healed up automatically. Ragnok pulled the bowl towards him and poured the entire red content on the parchment he had taken out of the folder. I saw as the parchment soaked away every single drop of my blood and remained in its original colour when suddenly it shone with a golden light. A smile crept upon Ragnok's face.

"Congratulations, Mr Potter," he said, "You are officially the last scion of the most ancient and noble house of the Potters. And you've passed your emancipation test. The only thing you now required to do is sign this parchment and you'll officially hold the title of Lord Potter." Saying that, he handed me a blood quill and I signed the paper after which the paper glowed a white before going back to normal. Ragnok then snapped his finger once more and a small box appeared. I noticed it was a beautiful ornate box made of metal, jewellery and wood. The detailing was to die for. Undoubtedly a fine example of goblin arts. It wasn't just battles which the goblins were known for. Their handmade jewelleries cost a fortune in the wizarding world even today. But obviously the pureblood fanatics didn't buy them as that would make them look like they loved something made by the goblins. No. That was not even to question for.

Opening the box, he turned it towards me and I noticed it had three rings – the three signet rings of the three families of which I had descended.

"The house rings of the most ancient and noble house of Potters," Griphook said indicating the first ring with a gryphon on it. "The house ring of the Peverrells," he said, indicating the one on the other end with a simple stone with the mark of the three hallows. I knew it wasn't the resurrection stone. That lied in the Gaunt shack at the moment. The stone which was on top of the Peverrell ring was a ruby. Then I saw as Ragnok indicated the ring in the middle with a griffin carved out on top. "The ring of the founder Godric Gryffindor," Ragnok said and then pushed the box towards me. I caught it with both my hands and then looked at the goblin with wide eyes. I knew these were the families I had descended from but I had to make a show of surprise as if I didn't know that.

Ragnok smiled. "Mr Potter, or as it is Lord Potter now," Ragnok said, "You are a direct descendant of

Godric Gryffindor. You will understand that once you read your parents' will and look at the properties you've inherited."

He then snapped his finger one more and a new folder appeared. I recognised it as it only had one paper inside it – the final will and testament of my father. My eyes went wet but I controlled my urge to cry. I had promised when I came back that I wouldn't cry. Crying though was relieving, made people weak and vulnerable, something I can't have this time.

"I would like to see the will left by my parents," I said with a firm voice, hiding away my emotions which were building inside me at the moment.

"By all means," Ragnok said and handed the parchment to me after he took it out of the folder. I grasped it in my hand and took a large breath in, prepared to finally see what my parents had in their will.

 **The final will and testament of Lord and Lady Potter by Lord James Charlus Potter.**

 **I, Lord James Charlus Potter of the most and ancient house of the Potters, the Peverrells and Gryffindor, being of sound mind and body, am writing this final will and testament.**

 **In case something happens to me, the following things' control is to be given to my love of life, my wife Lady Lily Potter nee Evans. If something happens to her, then the followings should be given to our only son, Harry James Potter:**

 **The Gryffindor Castle, currently under the ancient fidilius charm, the Peverrell manor, the three manors owned by the Potter family and the Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow.**

 **All the wealth and physical artefacts belonging to theses most ancient and noble houses are to be handed over to my son by emancipating him when he reaches eleven years of age.**

 **The guardians recommended for my son in case we are incapable of taking care of him anymore are:**

 **Sirius Orion Black – family friend, ally and godfather to Harry Potter by the Godfather Ritual.**

 **Alice Longbottom and her husband Frank Longbottom – family friend, ally and the former being Harry's godmother by the Godmother Ritual.**

" **Amelia Bones – family friend and ally.**

" **Xenophillius and Pandora Lovegood – family friend and ally.**

 **By no means should my son be sent in the care of the Durseleys.**

 **The following is our letter to our son.**

 **.**

 **Dear Harry,**

 **If you are reading this then that means that we failed to protect you. But always know this son, no matter where we are now, our love has and will not decrease for you. Though we never hope that a condition will arise for you to see this piece of parchment, but if it happens, we are sure you will be in care of good hands.**

 **Harry, there is one thing we would like to tell you, though you will be taken cared by those who are and would never betray the house of Potter, there will be people who would try to diverge your mind, since you belong to one of the oldest house in the history of magic. They will try to come in your circle only to stab you in the end. Don't fall for it. We only hope that whoever takes care of you after us, will prepare you for the world you are meant to live in and protect. Make wise decisions. Go for those friends who'd truly be your friend. And please, marry a girl like your mother though we are not sure who that lucky girl will be upon whom you'll set your eyes on. But whoever she is, she'll be one lucky girl to come in the eyes of our son.**

 **Be safe son for there's a huge responsibility upon your shoulders of which you'll know in the diary of your mother. After you've been emancipated, I would, we would like you to go to the Potter family vault and have our journals. It will help guide you and will tell you of the things you need to know. But remember this; we never wanted this to happen to you. It was nothing but the doings of fate who took interest in you before you were even born.**

 **Be safe Harry and always remember that there are people who'll always love you no matter where they are.'**

With trembling hands, I placed the will on the desk and closed my eyes, preventing the tears to fall. After a minute, I opened them again and looked at my vault manager.

"If...If everything's done, I'd like to see my family vault," I said.

"There's one thing you need to do, Lord Potter," Ragnok said. "Wear these rings. These rings are the key for you to enter the vault. For security reasons, the vaults of the three families weren't merged together so you need to wear the rings for the vaults to recognise you as the heir."

"But I don't want the world to know that I am an heir to the house of Peverrells and Gryffindor. I already have too much unwanted attention of which I am already trying to get away," I said.

Ragnok smiled. "Don't worry, Lord Potter. The three rings, once you wear them, will merge together and be one. Then you can cause it to disappear and can recall its appearance upon your will. In short, you have the power to show others these rings upon your desires so people will not be able to see them if you don't want to."

I smiled. "I can live with that," I said.

"So, wear the rings, Lord Potter," Ragnok said and pushed the box a little further. I first picked up the Gryffindor Ring and inserted it in my middle finger. It was bigger than my finger but automatically was adjusted and held on firmly. I then picked up the Peverrell ring and placed it in my ring finger and then the Potter family ring, which I put in my index finger. The three rings, once in my three fingers, glowed brightly before merging to be one hybrid ring in my middle finger.

"Wish for it to disappear," Ragnok said and I wished for it and was surprised to see it vanishing away. I then wished it to be visible again and the ring came back on my finger.

"Always remember Lord Potter," Ragnok said, "While entering your family vaults, make your ring visible else the wards around the vaults will not allow you to enter."

I nodded.

Coming out of the bank, I headed for the wizard postal services. I had a letter to write to. Entering the building, I stayed low, preventing the people from recognising me and headed for a secluded corner from where I could sit and write a letter.

Placing myself in the chair of the rickety wooden furniture, I picked up a parchment and quill and began my letter.

'Madam Bones,

I hope you are in good health. Please destroy this letter once you've read it but I suppose you already know that.

I am Harry Potter, son of your former friends James and Lily Potter. I had the will reading of my parents today and have discovered some shocking revelations. Not wasting time from your busy schedule, I will come straight to the point.

When I saw the names of my guardians on the will, I was confused for a moment as I didn't found the names of the Durseleys with whom I am currently living. However, that will not happen anymore as I've passed the emancipation test as per the wish of my parents. But I would like to look up to someone as my mentor and they are certainly not the Durseleys. I see that the law has been broken by whoever who placed me in the care of the Durseleys and not with those whose manes were found on the will. Also, I asked my vault manager about the families whose names are suggested to be my guardian. He told me about each and every one of them and I came to know about my godfather's current condition who is at the moment in Azkaban, accused of the betrayal to my parents and killing twelve muggles. However, some evidence has come to light as my parents have written that Sirius went under the Godfather Ritual when he was appointed as my godfather. I asked my vault manager about it and he himself seemed surprised. When I asked him why, he told me that if my godfather had underwent the Godfather Ritual and had betrayed my parents, then he should also have died.

I then came to know that there was no trial conducted for my godfather and his crimes were never proved. He was simply arrested and was thrown in Azkaban. I am guessing that it is the work of those who put me in the care of the Durseleys as when I came to see my vault manager; he told me that my will had been dissolved. I say whoever dissolved my parents' will put me in the care of those Durseleys and also denied Sirius of any trial. And whoever this man is, I say that he holds a lot of power with himself else he'd not have the will and courage to do so to the last scion of the most ancient and noble house of the Potters.

I am writing this letter to tell you that I want a secret investigation upon this matter of which no one but a countable people will have an idea of and I am making you responsible for choosing those people as I was made aware that you are a fair and impartial woman who is honest with her job. So I am putting my trust in you.

Also, though this isn't necessary, I would like to tell you that I was made aware of the great alliance founded by my great - great grandfather of which your family was also a member. Being that, if you deny of taking an action against these criminals who are responsible for whatever I wrote above, you can say goodbye to your alliance with House Potter. But I know how hard this responsibility will be and am willing to provide you with any sort of help I can if you ask me. But I want to see true justice being served to these bastards who tried to do harm to me and to the mane of my house.

I will be looking forward to a reply from you.

Yours faithfully,

Lord Harry James Potter,

Heir of the most ancient and noble house of the Potters.'

.

I read the letter once more before making some last minute corrections. Then applied a privacy charm on it using my basilisk wand which I had removed the trace from. Though I could remove the trace from my holly phoenix feather as well but I didn't want Dumbledore to know of my emancipation just yet.

Satisfied with the words and creating a copy of my parents' will, I folded the parchments and went over to the counter. Paid the fees and tied my letter to one of the owls and let him go. I knew it wasn't completely secure, using a public owl to send something this important but I couldn't use Hedwig else the Order members will know of it. But they'll eventually know any way that I was not returning to live with the Durseleys. And honestly, didn't care what Dumbledore or his minions would do to them for that. They could all go to hell.

Coming out of the building, I headed to the Leaky Cauldron. I had taken the portkey from my family vault which would take me to the Gryffindor Castle, a safe and secure place which was even safer than Gringotts. After what I had experienced with my days at Hogwarts, it was the most unsafe building in all of magical Britain. Unfortunately, Dumbledore's fake status symbol had blinded many people to see the truth.

Entering the shabby inn, I asked for a room and Tom gave me the keys. I paid him in advance as I was not going to return back sooner than the day after tomorrow. Taking the key from him, I headed for the stairs and then in my room where I took out my portkey and saying the password, vanished away with a small pop.


	3. Chapter 3

I used the knight bus to get myself to the Leaky Cauldron two days after I had done everything including writing the letter to Amelia, shopping for my school stuff and emancipating myself.

Tapping the wall at the back of the inn, I entered the alley through the passage and saw it was still crowded. Well, it was supposed to be as school was about to open within a week. I had used a slight glamour charm to only hide my scar. That way no one had recognised me. I was heading to a certain bookstore, knowing I would finally meet her after this long time.

It was crowded inside but I could bear it all just to have one good look at her. Through the crowds, I saw first her brown bushy hair and then the book tower she was carrying in her hands. I chuckled at her antics. She was still looking dissatisfied with the amount of books she had bought. Clearly, she wanted more but she knew her kart couldn't hold anymore. I kept watching as she finally let out an annoyed and forced sigh as she then headed for the counter. The counter lady first eyed her from top to bottom and then looked at the book tower which was waiting to be billed. I saw as a frown came upon the face of the lady and knew clearly what she was frowning for.

"May I ask why do you need all these books?" the lady asked.

The bushy haired girl smiled shyly. "I am actually new to this world. So I wanted to know as much as I could before starting at Hogwarts."

I frowned as the frown on the lady's face deepened and she now looked at the girl in front of her as if the eleven year old was nothing but a piece of filth.

"I cannot allow you to have all these books. Your kind deserves no extra knowledge about our world," the counter lady said in a haughty tone with a clear indication that she had a complete and utter dislike for the young girl in front of her. "Now, only pick out the books you need for your school courses. You should not even be allowed to enter this alley!"

I couldn't see but knew that that bitch had clearly hurt the young girl's feelings and I was barely under my control. I quickly used occlumency to calm myself down and then took out my basilisk wand and casted a silent imperius upon the counter lady and a moment later her expression changed.

"I am sorry for my rude behaviour," the lady said to the girl as I watched now with amusement though my anger was still palpable. "You can have as much books as you want."

I couldn't see her face but could tell that the girl was confused as to what just happened when I heard McGonagall's call.

The deputy headmistress entered the shop maintaining her stern composure and said, "Alright children, if you are all ready with your purchases, we will now head for your robes' purchase."

I saw as Hermione quickly started placing her books on the counter when I flicked my wand again and casted a second imperius and the expressions on the face of the lady changed again. But Hermione was too busy to notice.

"It's on the house dear," the lady said and I saw Hermione stopped doing her work and looked up at the lady.

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," the lady said and smiled a little when I mentally commanded her. I knew Hermione was clearly confused but when McGonagall called the students for the second time, she quickly picked up her stuff which was obviously too heavy for her. So I gave the counter lady another command and she, with Hermione's permission and upon my command, shrunk all her books. From what I knew of Hermione, she wasn't surprised by it at all. She would already have learned about it.

I used my small physique, thanks to the Durseleys and mixed with the crowd as I watcher Hermione joining the group of other muggle born students who would be starting as first years at Hogwarts. I could see that even though they were all muggleborns, they didn't talk to Hermione. In fact, she was always the one to initiate a talk to random students and when most of them didn't replied, she'd shut up. I decided to follow the group all day, knowing I didn't had much to do for the day.

It was almost evening when I saw McGonagall taking away her charges out of the Diagon Alley. As I hid myself from a notice-me-not charm, I saw Hermione and many others meeting their parents, their faces all excited with their first real experience of the magical world. I saw a small smile upon McGonagall's face. Clearly, she was happy but was trying to maintain her stern composure. I mentally chuckled at her. I then saw Hermione speaking energetically to her parents when she suddenly turned towards McGonagall and asked her something after which the deputy headmistress gave a slight nod and took out her wand and cancelled the shrinking spell upon Hermione's purchases. Those muggle adults who saw his were shocked. Clearly, they had all witnessed their respective children's accidental magic but seeing a controlled magic being done was a whole lot different. Hermione's parents were shocked as well.

A few minutes later the students and their parents/guardians started to scatter to go to their own homes. Many had befriended others except Hermione and the sadness could be seen upon her face. I saw her parents' worried faces as well. Clearly, they were worried for their daughter leaving them to go in some very different world and now that they had seen their daughter still had no friends in this world too, they were kind of worried.

00000

I returned back to my ancestral home and found a letter waiting for me. I had not let go off my host's mind since he would easily get worried, anxious and desperate to know how and what was he doing all day at Diagon Alley today. He didn't even know he had an ancestral home. I had finally decided to let him rest until my jobs were done for good. There was far too much to do like before, only it would be in my way. I was done being moral. It was one thing that I learned in my timeline – if one was being moral all the time, he'd definitely be screwed. And I had no intention of being moral to those who had ruined my Hermione's and my life along with the lives of my those loyal friends who, thanks to the Weasely, I could never get to know.

I threw myself at the large couch and picked up the letter from the table. Tibby, my house elf, the only Potter elf left pooped and placed a tray of some refreshments on the table before vanishing again.

I saw the letter. It was from Amelia. She had replied back rather quickly than I had expected.

.

'Lord Potter,

It is so good to hear that you finally took control of your house. I went through your letter at least twice and knew what you were talking about. I went to the ministry to see for records for Sirius' trials and found none. This only means that he wasn't subjected to a trial. I also saw the copy of your parents' will and have also taken into consideration your words regarding the great alliance. You have my word that I will try my best to find out the ones responsible for the troubles you suffered in your early childhood. As I say, I have already notified a few of my closest aurors and a few unspeakables to carry out a secret investigation upon this matter. And I am hoping to see and inform you of the results as soon as we come across them.

I would request you not to end your alliance with the House of Bones. I don't know whether you know this or not but the great alliance was the most powerful body in Wizengmot and got any legislations and laws passed if it wanted as together, the great alliance held sixty seven percent votes of the entire Wizengmot.

I would also like to let you know that I am very happy that you've come to grasp the responsibility of your house with this maturity. That, or unless you had that letter written by someone else. Anyways, I want to tell you that I am already looking and have started an investigation regarding your and Sirius' lives. Sirius' will take a bit longer but I presume you know that already as you told me to ask help from you if I would need it. as for your case, I have already let know a muggle police officer, a squib of your situation with the Durseleys and they'd be sued very soon for child abuse. I only ask for you to be present that day when the prosecution will take place, though the investigation is in its initial stage and we can't say how long it will take as muggle police works different than us.

Say that, it was good to hear from you Harry, and I am speaking as per your aunt because that's what you'd have called me if you'd have known me since you were small or your parents would've been alive today. Be safe and be the man your parents wanted you to be – independent, bold, and fearless and of an open mind as I presume you'd already have been introduced to the bigotries which our society practices. I myself am ashamed to call our house of purebloods since they are the ones who introduced this kind of thinking in our society.

Anyways, that's not the current subject to be discussed. Rest assured, you are not alone, Harry. And I promise you that I will try my best and will try and get Sirius out of that hell hole as soon as possible because you'd really need his influence in your life. He's a real matured man though he tends to act like a kid most of the time.

Take care.

Amelia.'

.

I folded the letter and smiled. No corruptness could be expected from Amelia. She was just as fair now as she was back in my original timeline. It was a pity we lost her to the hands of Tom but it wasn't going to happen this time. Tom wasn't my enemy. Dumbledore was and those too who supported him knowing what he had intended to do with my life and would share the profits from it.

I knew it would be easy to take out Tom if I could destroy all his horcruxes before killing Quirrell. But then again, I would not have to go as per Dumbledore's plans. I knew he already had his plans laid out for me in the castle with the stone to lure me. I still wonder how he'd have got me to grow curious as to what was being guarded by Fluffy if Hermione wouldn't have come in my life and had used her intelligence. But then again, she, too, was part of Dumbledore's plans. Just a pawn, like many others. And Dumbledore let her to the mercy of Ron who used her in all the possible manner he could until she was no more.

I used occlumency again as my anger started to rise. I noticed my anger when the goblet kept on my table started to vibrate. This gave me another thing to do. I knew Dumbledore had locked my core to the lowest. I knew I was, in my full capability, at least a hundred times stronger than Dumbledore. Many were, even the twins but though they were all intelligent and creative when it came to pranking, they never got to utilise their full capability because of their mother. That bitch! I had seen a mother in her. Had I known that it was all a ploy to get my wealth and fame, I swear I would've killed her. Well, she will die by my hands but I wanted it to be with a reason for her this time. I wanted to give her a reason as to why I am going to kill her, her daughter and her youngest son.

"I am sorry, Hermione, but I can't take any more of them anymore," I muttered to myself as I sipped the last drops of butterbeer from my goblet and slumped on the couch. I had a large manor, three times the size of Hogwarts but only I and Tibby lived here. I had opened just one guest room and had kept all of my stuff there. I was requested by Tibby to take the master bedroom but too many memories of my parents prevented me to take it. I convinced her that even the guest rooms were more than nice for me to sleep in. Other rooms, I kept them closed, seeing no need for them at the moment.

00000

I portkeyed near the Gaunt Shack. It was, like before, in ruins, only seven years newer. I felt for my other wand's holster. It was there and so was the wand. I had learnt how to manipulate a wand to choose me back in my original timeline and had used it to make the basilisk wand accept me as its master. One massive reason for that – I could now use a simple hex from this wand to destroy a horcrux. As I had learned, the horcrux were actually vulnerable to basilisk venom, something my wand was using as its core. The Gryffindor sword would've been nothing had it not been impregnated with the basilisk venom. The other alternate option was fyndfire and to be completely honest, I still hadn't learnt to control it. even after I had unlocked all of my core in my last timeline, I still couldn't control it completely and had preserved it as a last resort though I hoped that day would never come.

As I walked towards the ruined shack, I glanced at the huge manor a few yards away from it. I actually felt pity for Merope. She had loved this man named Tom but knew she couldn't have him as the bloke was attracted to girls with outer beauty, something which Merope didn't had. I never, however, blamed him for leaving Merope when he found out that his love for her wasn't real but the struggle she had been through after that until her life ended giving birth to Tom Junior, I really felt pity for her. I knew why because she, too, was abused by her very own family. I had my uncle and aunt. She had her own father and brother. And not to mention the trickery Borgin had accomplished on her, buying a fortune worth of a locket for five galleons. Had she been alive, had she been in Tom Junior's life, he'd definitely be a different person today but then he was, whether Merope was there or not. He had appreciated the friends he had made at Hogwarts after he was bullied by kids at the orphanages. He was changing from dark too light in Hogwarts but then Dumbledore had to squeeze himself in his life. A thing, the old man should've mastered. He knew how strong Riddle was, he knew he'd one day be overpowered by this kid who was nothing but a half blood. This was not acceptable for the old man and what did he do? He started to manipulate Tom in a very remarkable way. I have to give the old man for that. He does remarkable manipulations. He started turning Riddle dark and against him. Then, when riddle graduated from Hogwarts, the manipulations, having affected her mind too much to be rectified, he started finding out ways to strengthen himself. He had found one way in his final year and now wished to use it more, only on other objects – more valuable one. A smart move from his side as he knew that theses historical artefacts would hardly ever be suspected to be his anchors even if someone found out about his dirty little secret one day. And he was right. Until, well, I came over and though I hate to accept it, but Dumbledore was responsible as well. He definitely had worked his arse off to find out the kind of horcruxes Riddle had made.

I knew my core wasn't unlocked so I needed to be more careful. I had, back in my timeline, come here after many years to find out exactly how Riddle had planted booby traps around his treasure. Some I found, some I did not. Unfortunately, I didn't find out how to remove the curse around the ring which had Dumbledore a boney black hand in my sixth year.

But obviously I had planned my arrival here.

Putting my hand in my pocket, I pulled put a handful of stone chips, small enough that I had almost a hundred of them, probably more. I had spent the previous night carving runes on them and then had them keyed to my ancestral home's wards. In short words, these runes were very powerful as the wards around my place were very powerful.

Using levitation charms from both my wands, I levitated as many stone chips as I can at once and placed them in a certain manner around the shack. Then I repeated the act until all the runes were in their respective places.

I took a deep breath and putting my phoenix wand in my pocket, raised my basilisk wand and casted an overpowered bombarda. Though weak, my core's magic completely shattered the remaining of the shack but it exhausted me as well. However, this was why I had brought these runes with me. I casted the spell and all the runes glowed a light red and I felt my energy being restored. The runes didn't allow my core's power, which I had used in the spell, to get out of the circle which I had drawn using these runes. Once my energy and core was restored, I casted a powerful wind charm enough to blow away the remaining of the shack. I was exhausted again.

Recovering, I carefully casted a scanning charm and found many of the traps had been destroyed and only the ones around the ring had stayed intact. That bastard had used his head and had casted strong charms around the ring. But he had made a mistake. Though no person could cross this traps until he would spent three hours trying to break the wards, a wand could.

I could clearly see the small wooden box and could also feel the horcrux calling me through my scar. I knew it was there. I knew it was mere moments away from being destroyed. Raising my basilisk wand, I casted a reducto. The spell flew past the wards swiftly before connecting with the box. It was overpowered and took the ring along with the box and a moment later the tar released from the cursed ring. I was thrown away from the aftershock as my scar hurt too. Getting up on my feet, I said the runic spells once again as it replenished my lost energy. The aftershock was powerful enough to take down Riddle's wards as well so I walked towards the smoking box. The ring had fallen out of it and was beside the box on the round. I lifted it up. The stone in the middle of it was cracked. I smiled. One hallow was gone that meant Dumbledore's plan to gather all the hallows would now be impossible. I knew, since I was a direct descendant of the third Peverrell brother, I could summon the wand from Dumbledore whenever I could. It wouldn't mean whether old man had won it from Grindelwald or not. I was the wand's real master by blood, something only a wand from death itself could allow unlike other wands. It would never harm me even if Dumbledore tried to cast upon me using the Elder Wand. I smiled as I imagined how the old man would look when he'd realise that his faithful wand will not work for him against me.

Finished with my work, I finally cleared away the mess I had created just in case Dumbledore decides to snoop in. I knew Paradox was a bitch and would try to interfere if I interfere much with the timeline.

Since the portkey was a one-time-use only, I called Tibby and returned back to my castle.


	4. Chapter 4

I portkeyed to the Durseleys' place and imperiused them three so they couldn't reveal anything and with a scared face went inside the cupboard which used to be my place in that house. I was forced to do this all since I didn't want Dumbledore to find out. A good thing had happened however as I had found a loophole in Dumbledore's warding around Number Four Privet Drive. He had used my blood to key to the ward which was same as my mother's blood and ultimately my aunt's blood. Guess that old fool wasn't such a fool after all. His wards did power themselves using Petunia's blood as well since she, I and my mum shared the same blood. So I had asked Tibby to bring me a sample of my aunt's blood and then I had keyed it to the wards around their place. Now Dumbledore would think I was in the house all the time when in fact I would not be.

A motorcycle rumbled outside their house and a moment later a knock was heard on the door. Petunia knew whoever it was; he would be from the magical world as it was September first. Vernon had a purple face out of anger when he opened the door. His face went pale as he recognised the half giant who had twisted his double barrel like it was made of thin wire. He automatically stepped aside as Hagrid crouched a little in order to fit his height through the door as he walked in.

I came out of the cupboard, keeping my face as passive as possible. I smiled faintly when I saw the humble half giant.

"Hello, Harry!" Hagrid said in his deep, rumbling voice. "I've come to take you to Hogwarts. Grab your things!"

I didn't need another word from him as in a minute I was riding the side car of his or rather my godfather's bike. As soon as we arrived at a less crowded road Hagrid used the invisibility button to get the bike and us invisible as it started to fly in the air. It was as if I was riding the infamous car of Arthur which the twins and Ron had used to rescue me during my second year. I knew Sirius' bike could fly but I didn't know it could be turned invisible.

Twenty minutes and a little jerky landing later, I was pushing my trolley which had my trunk and other stuff along with Hedwig in her cage. I could've let her fly to the castle but I had to show as if I was new to this world and didn't know where we were heading currently when Hagrid nudged me as he passed me the platform ticket. I just looked at it but didn't ask him how or where will I find a platform 9 ¾ as he was already gone. I knew this now because I heard a soft pop indicating Hagrid had used a portkey. He would've been told by Dumbledore that I was informed how to reach at the platform. Clearly, Hagrid would've been then categorised as a very smart guy if he'd used his head which he obviously didn't most of the time.

I saw the watch I had brought with me. It was a simple spring watch with nothing battery powered as electronic items tend to malfunction around magic. I had charmed the watch to key itself whenever its spring was loose. I saw I had almost half an hour. I remembered the last time I had wasted twenty minutes finding the platform. I had scanned the entire station almost twice before that blasted Molly ranted where the platform was and what was its number. Damn! I still feel embarrassed to have fallen for such a cheap trap. Only a fool could've fallen for that. But then again, I was a fool back then.

Not wasting another moment, I walked towards the barrier and went through the wall. The Weaselys, as always, would arrive mere moments before the train would leave so they weren't at the station the moment I crossed the barrier. Having casted a slight glamour charm over my scar to hide it, I dragged my trunk and other stuff and boarded the train. Nott many had arrived yet so I quickly found an empty compartment and entering, I locked it with various locking spells and then casted several privacy wards for just in case scenarios. I knew a certain Malfoy would be interested to find and talk me through. I didn't want it to happen. I would kill that bastard the moment I'll see his face so I was trying to avoid him as much as I could.

Once I had arranged my trunk and other stuff, I unlocked the cage and Hedwig flew over and sat on the seat opposite to me. She looked around the cabin, then at me and then out of the window. The window glass was one way so no one could see inside the compartment from the platform, something I was appreciating. Ten minutes later I saw the red haired clan with a clearly pissed off Molly, passive faced Ron and a haughty looking Ginny coming towards the train. Ginny was annoying and angering me the most. She was the one who had fed me love potions, forced me under it to marry her and then get her pregnant after which she divorced me, took away all my wealth and left me to rot until thanks to Neville, whose condition was also same as me, only a little better, somehow managed to find me a small apartment in the muggle world and a week after that he had been murdered. Clearly, Dumbledore's greater good plan had worked as the magical world collapsed completely as its population ate each other for power.

I saw the four Weaselys boarding the train as Molly and Ginny waited on the platform. I knew why. They weren't going to see me out.

A few minutes later the train started to move and I leaned back on my seat and closed my eyes to give it a rest. I needed to plan as to in which house I would prefer to go as Gryffindor was a no-go. I knew Dumbledore's would crumble down a great deal if I wouldn't get sorted in Gryffindor, if I wouldn't be a seeker in Gryffindor's Quidditch team and so on.

A couple minutes later I heard a knock on my compartment's door. I opened my eyes to see it was Ron who was desperately trying to open the gate from the other side. The glass on the gate was mirrored from one side so he couldn't see inside but I could see outside. I saw him trying his best to see through the glass, and then trying his best at the lock of the door. Then he placed his ear on the glass panel to hear anything he could and after a ten minute struggle, he finally left with a tired and annoyed face. I remained alert as I knew who would be next and I was right as ten minutes later the Malfoy scion arrived and tried to open the door as well. And though he was more experienced and brainy with respect to Ron, his spells didn't work on the power of my wards. I had unlocked my core and could now use it to its full capacity.

I saw as Malfoy and his goons left and then a couple minutes later came the trolley lady with chocolates and candy. I was feeling a little empty so I unlocked the door, bought some and closed the door again but didn't lock it. I didn't want my next strangers to ignore me because of some locking and privacy charms.

As I had tore a packet of candies, my compartment doors opened and in came a bushy haired Hermione Granger. Seeing her this close after all these years, I felt my control slipping from me but then I regained my senses as I realised she had been repeatedly asking me had I seen a toad. I apologised to her for my carelessness and told her I hadn't seen Trevor. I also had to control this undeniable urge to kiss her senseless. She was so cure when she was eleven. Why hadn't I noticed it before? Oh, yeah, I was a fool back then. I was fed love and loyalty potions!

"What's your name?" I asked her.

"Hermione Granger," she replied. "What's yours?"

"Harry Potter," I said. Her eyes widened a bit but not like those magical people who would've reacted when they saw me. "Please don't tell anyone where I am. I don't like this attention I am getting since the day I came t know about this world."

"You..."You didn't know you were magical?" she asked, a bit confused. "But...But all those books said that...that you were being trained by the ministry in a secure location and..."

"All those are lies, Hermione," I said raising a hand to stop her from speaking. "I was raised by my uncle and aunt who are muggles and hate magicals and their world. I didn't know my parents were murdered by an evil psychopath and that I was a magical until on my eleventh birthday when I got my Hogwarts letter."

"I am so sorry about your parents," she said with a sad face. I knew she was sincere. She had been since the very first day I met her the last time.

"It's alright," I said. "It's just that not many understand. From what I've come to know, my parents sacrificed themselves in order to protect me. Not many see that. If it wasn't for them, I believe I, too, would've been killed that night. Can you believe they celebrate every Halloween night as the night Voldemort disappeared?" I saw her flinch at the name. "And you don't need to flinch at his name, Hermione. That will only make you look weak and scared of him. Believe me, Voldemort is just a name like Hermione, like Harry. It is just a name and from what I have come to know about living this few days in the wizarding world, the magicals don't use their full brains. They think that blood purity makes them superior to muggleborns like you and half bloods like me. They treat other creatures not with respect. I suppose you might've seen some magicals talking to the goblins when you went to Gringotts?"

She nodded, biting her lower lip, an action which made me almost lose my control since the very day she and I had confessed out love for each other. "How do you know all this?" she asked.

"I found out that I am or rather my family is one of the most ancient and noble houses of the Magical Britain," I said. Her face had a confused look. I patted the seat next to mine, indicating her to sit down next tm me. I wanted to take her smell, the vanilla smell of her hair. I wanted to look more closely at her, see her young beauty, something I was denied to notice because of some selfish and manipulative people. as she sat next to me, I rose and closed the door saying how it would be bad if others come to know I was on the train.

"Why are you acting like they will eat you when they'll see you?" she asked.

I chuckled. "You have no idea, Hermione," I said as I sat beside her and handed her a snack which was not sweet. She smiled as she took the packet from my hand. "I can only tell you that suppose you live your entire life as a normal person, actually, below a normal person and then one day, suddenly, you are told to be a magical guy. Then when you enter the magical world, you get surrounded by strangers because you are famous for something you never knew! Then as more and more people come to know about your presence, they would want to meet you. The worst thing of it all, all this makes me remember my parents whom I haven't seen at all. I don't know how my mother, my father would've looked like. I mean, I never got to see them long enough to remember their faces, their voice. Then you realise that what people are thinking about you is completely wrong. And besides, I was told that Voldemort's supporters were still free, most of them, but were under hiding and indirectly attacked on the society though means as the government of this world, through media and so on. I can only wonder when some day one of his supporters would say that I am nothing but an attention seeking brat. Well, I don't like this extra attention, actually not any attention but what normal people like you or any other would get! So I thought I would stay as low as possible. But eventually, I know they'll come to know it's me. Many even knew that I would be starting my Hogwarts year from this year. Can you believe that?"

Hermione sat and listened like a friend she had always been to me. Her attention was sharp and focussed upon every word I had said.

"What did you said before about your family was one of the oldest in this world?" she asked but then lowered her head in embarrassment. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked something like that. It's like I need information upon you."

I laughed lightly and she looked up at me. "I see you want to know as many things about this world as you can, so that you won't feel like an outcast?" I asked. She nodded slightly. "Well, then. Let me help you. There's nothing wrong in what you want to know Hermione as long as you won't get in any danger because of It." her eyes widened a bit so I continued quickly. "Don't worry, knowing about me won't get you in danger. Like I said, I came to know that my family, or the family of Potters is one of the oldest houses of Magical Britain. It means that we have a considerable amount of power over the society as my house has its seat at Wizengmot, the law making body of the government." Her eyes widened at that.

"I came to know on the day I went to Gringotts for the first time that my parents had left a will for me in which they had left me all the properties and wealth of the Potter family. They had also requested for me to get emancipated which I went through. I am a minor emancipated wizard. That means I will be considered as an adult in the society," I said.

"But why would your parents want that?" she asked.

"Because of the power the Potter house has," I said. "You know that not everyone in this magical world is good, right?" she nodded. "Well," I said, "there are many other houses at Wizengmot who are in line to acquire the wealth and power of the Potters."

"How?" she asked again.

"This might sound crazy but it's true," I said. "I suppose you would've noticed the blood bigotry this society has?" she nodded sadly. "Well, the purebloods, or the ones who are born in magical families with both parents being magical think that muggleborns like you and half bloods where one parent is muggleborn and one is of pureblood, are lower than them and don't deserve to live in this society. And due to this belief and bigotry and as since the last fifty years or so, since muggleborns have started to come to Hogwarts, these families, out of their beliefs on blood purity, started marrying their children to their own cousins and other relatives in order to maintain their blood purity. A pure blood marries a pureblood. No harm done. Everyone's happy. And that's the very reason why the population of the purebloods have decreased dramatically."

"That...That's just disgusting!" Hermione exclaimed. I knew it was.

"It is but you can't do anything about it," I said. "Not unless the society sees you at par with them and for that to happen, we will have to change this pureblood made law, something which is impossible at the moment."

"So how is it related to your family's wealth and power being robbed?" Hermione asked.

"Well," I said, "I told you that in pureblood families, relatives are often married to each others and to other houses as well. I have come to know that many follow the arranged marriage portfolio in the society still to the date. As for my family, my grandmother was not a Potter, she was a Black, another ancient and noble house with a Wizengmot seat, political and financial power. Then there's the families of the Malfoys who have been accused of following Voldemort during the last war. Lucius Malfoy, the current head of the Malfoy house, doesn't own a Wizengmot seat but has enough money that he can easily bribe its members to get his job done. His wife, Narcissa Malfoy was actually a Black before marriage and as it happens in this society, she would still carry the tag of the Black family as her second house after the Malfoys. Now, since Narcissa was a Black and my grandma was a Black and she was a Potter after she married my grandpa, at the moment, I and Draco are heir to the Black fortune and only its head will decide whom to give the heir ship. Suppose he gives it to me, then I will become the head of two noble and ancient houses but the Malfoys will still be in line to have the ownership of the head of the house if something happens to me and can you guess what will they do if they want the ownership of mine as well as the ownership of Black family?"

"They will remove you from the path!" Hermione said gaping.

"Now you get it," I said. "My godfather Sirius Black is the last head of the Black house but unfortunately, he is serving lifetime imprisonment at Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit. When that happens and suppose something unacceptable happens to him, then the Malfoys will acquire the wealth and power of the Black family since Narcissa, or Mrs Malfoy is the only sane member of the Black family."

"Sane?" Hermione asked.

"Another Black, Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix Lestrange is currently at Azkaban, serving lifetime imprisonment for killing many innocents as she was a Voldemort follower. There is one more, Andromeda Black but she married a muggleborn man named Ted and hence, was cast out of her family by her mother. Andromeda is Narcissa's sister and Bella's cousin. And since she's cast out of the Black family, her family will not get the ownership of the Black family no matter what happens unless Sirius decides to let them in the Black family once again."

A full minute's silence later, I said, "Sorry."

"What for?" Hermione asked, coming out of her thinking world. She was rethinking over what she had just learnt from me.

"You came here to find the toad of Neville and I got you stuck in some family talks," I said.

"I learnt a lot of thins regarding the magical cultures, Harry," she said.

"Would you do me a favour?" I asked.

"What?" she asked.

"Please don't tell anyone about what I told you. Especially the fact that I am emancipated," I said.

"I won't," she said but then winked at me. "But you couldn't have told me in the first place. I am a stranger to you."

"No you are not," I said. "Your name is Hermione Granger and you are a muggleborn and my first friend."

She looked at me and blinked.

"Would you be my friend?" I asked her nervously.

She smiled. "I would love to," she said and so I handed her another packet of snacks as she left the compartment. She understood why I didn't want to leave the compartment. I so desperately wanted to meet Neville but then again, I would meet him at Hogwarts. I saw as Hermione walked out of my compartment, closing the door behind her. She did turn back at me and smiled warmly. I had succeeded in befriending her completely before the troll incident and now I could prevent her from being attacked by the troll.

I turned to look at Hedwig and saw her looking at me.

"What?" I asked. Hedwig rolled her eyes as she gave out a low hoot. I rolled my eyes at her and then resumed looking out of the window as I popped a chocolate frog in my mouth. Within a few hours I would be in Hogwarts. The real fun would begin then.


	5. Chapter 5

"First years! Over here!"

I heard Hagrid's booming voice and started walking towards him. I had my scar visible because I didn't want anyone to know I could do advance magic, especially Dumbledore. There was a rush among the first years as many were talking to their senior siblings who were going towards the carriages while the others were joining the line to go by the boats. Due to the rush I was saved from being recognised but then nothing had happened the last time as well.

I boarded a boat and fortunately the Weasely was not there to sit with me. He accompanied Seamus and Dean along with one other student.

"Hey, mind if we share this boat with you?"

A voice asked from my back and I turned to find Hermione standing there. Neville was with her as well. A smile came up on my face to finally see Neville.

"Not at all," I said and shifted to one side so the two could board on. Luckily other students had their seats in their boats and so we three were spared with another member on the boat when our boat started to move.

"I am sure your toad will come to you, Neville," I said reassuringly to the boy when Hermione said that they couldn't find his toad.

Neville's tension didn't vanish. I knew he'd find Trevor at the castle but I couldn't tell him that.

As we reached the half way, something passed under the water and many students looked down to see what it was. The giant squid was close to the surface, seeing who this year's students were when we saw the light and then the castle.

00000

I used a wandless imperius on Draco as McGonagall went over to see the preparations of the sorting, and prevented him to say my name among the students. It wasn't that I didn't want them to know about me. it was that I didn't want a certain Weasely to know about me.

As Draco's facial expression changed due to the curse, his two goons were too stupid to notice anything. McGonagall then came and told us to follow her to the great hall. I was walking with Hermione and Neville and had told them not to say my name loudly. They both had agreed with understanding.

When we entered, Hermione started saying about the charms on the roof. It was so good to see this all after such a long time. I loved and craved for the Hermioneness. I saw many were looking at her with hatred eyes but she hadn't noticed them. If she would've and if she would've gone sad because of their looks, they'd then have a rough night in the castle.

I knew Dumbledore wouldn't recognise me because he had never come to check upon me personally. He just knew I would be attending Hogwarts starting this year. I saw him and Snape looking with curios eyes among the students, looking for me. I brought my hair to the front, hiding most of my scar from it. Only a little was visible and those two couldn't see it from the distance.

We were told to stop as McGonagall brought the hat and placed it on the stool and the entire hall went silent for the hat's song – something I hadn't liked at all.

With the song's completion, McGonagall started calling out the names of the students. I hated to do this but then I had to. I didn't want my Hermione to be sorted in the house of Dumbledore's spies so I used a wandless imperius, telling her mentally to accept the hat's decision and not to argue.

"Granger, Hermione."

I saw as Hermione started taking deep breaths. I placed a hand on her shoulder and told her it's going to be okay. She smiled at me and then walked towards the hat confidently. As she sat on the stool, I grew nervous. I knew my imperius had worked upon her but what it the hat sorts her in Gryffindor anyway? But then she had demanded the hat to sort her with the lions...

"Ravenclaw!"

My thoughts were in mid way when I heard the hat yell her house's name. I smiled. My spell had worked and the hat couldn't recognise it. I smiled at Hermione as she got down from the stool and headed for the table of the eagles. A few sorting later Neville's name was called and I didn't need to do anything with him. I could use an ear inside the lions' den. As expected and like before, he was sorted in Gryffindor.

"Potter, Harry."

The hall grew silent as my name was called after a few more sorting. I saw Dumbledore and Snape's heads popped up as soon as they heard my name. I also saw a wide-eyed Weasely looking around in the group, thinking how he could have missed me.

I smiled. 'This should be fun,' I thought as I took my first step out of the group and towards the table. Many in the group and in the great hall turned to look at me only when I started to move. I saw Dumbledore and Snape had also recognised me now. I quickly put up my occlumency shields and also used the power of my now restored core to strengthen it. I felt a tingle as soon as I put up my shields and smiled.

'Keep on trying old man but you are not going to go through,' I thought mentally to myself as I sat on the stool, turning away from the staff table but I knew Dumbledore had a scowl on his face and Snape would be angry. Well, he'll see me in his classes anyway so it was nothing but a waste to think of the git.

I felt the hat's brim tighten around my head to come to its size and a moment later I felt him inside my head. I dropped down my occlumency shields knowing neither Dumbledore nor Snape could read my mind now as long as the hat was on my head.

"Hmm, I can see you are a very capable person, Harry," the hat said. I remained silent. "What? Don't you have something to talk to me?"

"I do," I said. "But it's worthless since you can read my mind."

The hat chuckled lightly. "I see you are smart, Harry. So very less wizards today are as smart as you I can sense that. Now, for your sorting, I am facing a slight difficulty here."

"What?" I asked, though I knew why.

"I can see that it wouldn't matter whether I put you in any of the four houses. You have the bravery of Gryffindors, cunningness and sneakiness of Slytherins, Loyalty of Hufflepuffs and finally the intelligence of the Ravenclaws," the hat said.

"Well, then," I said, "Sort me in Ravenclaw."

"And why would that be?" the hat asked back.

"Because one of my first and best friends is in that house," I said, "and I don't want to be apart from her. Also, the Slytherins are...don't mind...evil. They follow the blood bigotry, something I am totally against of. The Hufflepuffs are more or less useless in almost everything but their friendship and loyalty, for which their house is famous. And the Gryffindors are...well...they jump on conclusions without thinking much. Too much bravery is dangerous you know."

"It seems I expected less from you, Harry," the hat said. I know exactly where to put you...Ravenclaw!" the hat yelled.

The hall went completely silent for a whole one minute when the Claws started to applaud loudly. Many were cheering and whistling, too. I saw the extremely shocked faces of the Gryffindors. Clearly, they'd expected me in their house since I had destroyed a so called dark lord. I knew the lions were more dangerous to me than Voldemort. The Hufflepuffs looked neutral. Clearly, they'd clearly known I could not be sorted in their house. The Slytherins weren't much shocked either but still some could be seen scowling over the hat's decision. The Claws were, well, hyped and were still clapping and shouting.

I wanted to see Dumbledore's face.

The old fart's plan, as I know, had crumbled down huge tonight. He knew he couldn't change the hat's decision and now he'd have to re-plan or make a huge modification in his already planned plans.

I got off the stool and without looking around, walked over to the Ravenclaw table and sat beside Hermione who saved a seat for me as soon as I was walking towards the table. I sat down and gave her a smile.

"Hi," I said.

"I can't believe we were sorted in the same house!" she said.

"Why? Is it impossible?" I asked.

"No," she said. "It's just that...that I won't be alone in this house. I am not that good in making friends, you know."

"Well, you made me your friend. Remember?" I asked. She smiled.

The silence was getting awkward until McGonagall called the other name and the sorting continued. I had put up my occlumency shields as I could feel Dumbledore and Snape trying their best to enter my mind. I wouldn't let them or else everything will be for nothing. Ron's name was called and as his family was cursed, he was sorted in the house of the lions. I saw his pissed off face as he looked at me while walking towards his house table. He sat with Dean and Seamus. Neville was sitting alone. I felt bad for him but I couldn't leave Hermione. She was more special to me.

With Blaise's sorting being done, the sorting came to an end and Dumbledore rose from his seat and while doing so, slightly glanced at me. I saw him from the corner of my eyes but pretended to be looking at the staff. He frowned but then told us all to tuck in as the plates and food appeared magically on the tables. Hermione was awed and so were the other first years. I started filling my plate and so did Hermione.

As dinner proceeded, I was asked many questions by many of my housemates. I replied to most of them even though I was now getting annoyed. Sure they were all intelligent but it also meant they were curious to know about things and that lead them to ask questions upon question to me, for which I was completely unthankful to them. But I controlled my temper. I knew getting angry on them wasn't worth it...well, not until the second year when Luna will arrive. They theses Claws will understand the cost of bullying someone.

Dinner finished and Dumbledore gave his usual speech – adding the 'the third floor is off-limits to those who don't want to die a painful death' shit talk. I rolled my eyes. 'Not going to work this time, Old man,' I thought. I had some other plans this time and killing Quirrell and saving the stone wasn't one of them.

00000

It was morning and I had accompanied Hermione to the breakfast table where Flitwick gave us our class schedules. I could see he had a frown over his face and I didn't need to guess that Dumbledore would've approached him telling the small professor how I should've been sorted in Gryffindor. I liked Flitwick even before. He was funny, lovable teacher and was also loyal to me. He was the favourite professor of the entire student body. Even Slytherins couldn't deny that.

"I hope you will like your classes, Mr Potter," he said as he passed me my schedule.

"Thank you, professor," I said, taking the schedule from his hand. Hermione gave me a look and I just rolled my eyes when Cho came and sat beside my other side and genuinely brushed her arm to mine.

"Good morning, Harry," she said in a seductive manner. I remained neutral to her approach. She was, like the other purebloods, interested in me just because of my fame and the power my family's name withheld.

"Morning," I said in a neutral voice, not looking at her but focussing on filling my plate.

"How was your first night at Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Nice," I said. "Hermione, will you pass me the salt?" Hermione nodded and passed me the salt. I saw as Cho formed a scowl. How could a mudblood like Hermione could befriend the last scion of the Potter house? I guess that's what would've been going in Cho's head at the moment.

"Looking forward to your classes?" Cho asked.

"I am," I said, maintaining the coolness in my voice, showing her that I am not very much interested in her talks.

"Why are you talking like that?" Cho said, sounding as if I had broken her heart. Nice try bitch.

"Because you are currently disturbing me from having my breakfast," I said. "I don't even know your name and from what I can tell, you appear to be a senior as I didn't see you in the first year group yesterday. Why are you interested in me?"

Cho was taken aback by this behaviour of mine. I smiled mentally. Hermione wasn't paying much attention to our conversation and I was thankful to her for that. She was reading the transfiguration book, the first chapter. Actually she was revising it so she wouldn't forget anything when McGonagall would teach us to convert a matchstick into a needle.

I stayed silent, waiting for Cho's answer which didn't come. So I spoke again, "I see that you have no answer to my question. Don't get me wrong because of the way I am talking to you," I said. "I wasn't brought up in a very good environment and so I have trust issues with others."

"You weren't brought up in a good environment?" Cho asked. "What does that mean?' she asked, sounding worried but I knew it was just for show.

"Not your concern," I said flatly. "I don't want to discuss anything personal to some stranger like you. I hope we will get to know each other in the coming time but for now, you are just a student in my house whom I haven't seen or talked to before. So I hope you'll understand why I am not talking to you like you are my friend. Now, if that's alright with you, I will like to continue my breakfast. We have transfigurations first and I don't want to be late on my very first class of the very first day of Hogwarts."

She scowled. I knew she did though she thought I didn't know that because I wasn't looking at her but at my plate. I had ended the conversation for her, giving her no choice but to leave me alone. A minute later she got up from her seat and joined her second year friends a couple metres away from where I and Hermione were sitting. I saw how she started gossiping as soon as she got near her friend circle. It didn't take a second for me to know that Cho was Parvati of Ravenclaw house – a gossip girl who liked to start a gossip – something which wasn't good as gossips always ended once it had completely changed the meaning of what was actually been told. I now understood the gossip wheel of this school. Every house had one gossip student, making the news travelling faster than light.

I sighed and now saw Hermione looking at me with questionable looks. She had a scowl as she was chewing her lower lip. 'Don't do that!' I screamed in my mind as I tried to remove my eyes from her lip which was being chewed by her.

"What was that?" she asked. "Why did you talked to her like that?"

"I am going to be honest with you," I said. "But I want you not to tell this to anyone so I will tell you about the truth once our class ends. I suppose you can wait that long?"

She formed a scowl but then nodded slightly.

"Thanks," I said then went back to my breakfast.

Classes were fun until we were going towards the dungeons for potions. I knew Snape was too excited to humiliate me. Well, it wasn't going to happen.

It was an hour later that I was standing in Dumbledore's office with a fuming Snape and Dumbledore looking intently at me, the latter with a sad and grandfatherly expression.

"Harry, may I ask what did you do to make professor Snape this angry?" Dumbledore asked in his grandfatherly voice. I forced myself from rolling my eyes.

I checked my occlumency shields. I knew I was safe from their direct legillimency attacks as long as I didn't maintain an eye contact with either of them. However, I could still feel tingles inside my head. I knew both were trying to get inside my head, trying to know what I was actually thinking. Well, it needed to stop.

"Headmaster," I said in a firm, neutral voice, showing him that I was not a fragile, helpless and wounded kid he had wanted me to become, "Professor Snape asked me OWL and NEWT level questions and if not that then the ones which I know I will not be studying until I am a third year student."

Dumbledore and Snape, both were taken aback. Clearly they didn't expect a child, who had spent his life in the muggle world, know this much about the curriculum of potions.

"On what basis can you say that, Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Clearly he wasn't taking this shit because he had Snivellus' utmost trust.

"Well, to answer you," I said in a bit angry voice, "I have gone through my potions book and I didn't find any chapters from which professor Snape asked me questions from. I had also looked to the second year books while I had went shopping in Diagon Alley. None of these questions' chapters were in those books as well. Also, I heard one of the students in our potions class today whispering to his partner that professor Snape here had asked me a NEWT level question. I didn't know which among those questions it was but none of it was from the first year potions curriculum. And besides," I said, turning towards Snape who was fuming with anger from top to toe, "didn't you know I was raised in muggle world? I came to know I was magical only on my eleventh birthday! Surely if you'd have asked a student who has been living in this world since the day he was born, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd have answered some of your questions. I suppose me retaliating to your way and selection of asking questions from me was fair and if you both want to take this further on, I would like the presence of Professor Flitwick, my house head because from the way you are talking headmaster," I said turning towards Dumbledore, "I am seeing you are blinded in trusting Professor Snape. And yes, I have no trust on professor Snape. He took unnecessary points from our and Hufflepuff house. And I presume he does the same with Gryffindor as well but not his house. I heard some students talk about it last night though I don't know how true it is but then it will come out eventually. So, are you going to call professor Flitwick? If not then I say we are done here. I will not apologise to professor Snape and yes," I said with a predatory gleam in my eyes, "the next time he tries to read my mind, headmaster I am going to inform my house head and the aurors."

The two were completely taken aback by this but Dumbledore quickly maintained his composure.

"Harry, what are you talking about?" Dumbledore asked.

"I know you know your trustworthy Slytherin head reads young students' mind," I spat angrily. "What? Did you think I would come in this world without preparations? I was raised in a house where I was abused physically and mentally. I wouldn't let the same thing happen to me here as well. The world's a rough place, headmaster. You need to harden yourself if you want to live in it. Good bye."

I said, turned and left the office. I felt them trying their last ditch effort to read my mind but save for Snape, Dumbledore was cautious since I had warned him of reporting to Flitwick and the aurors if someone tried to read my mind. Once out of the blasted office, I gave a sigh of relief. It was tiring to keep up my occlumency shields for more than half an hour. But it was all worth it. Old Dumbledore wouldn't leave any chance to know about me and my life. I was sure that right now he'd be sitting on his couch, with his hands on his head and thinking how things had turned out this way. Well, not everything works the way you've planned old man and it will definitely not go your way this time and I will make sure of that.

It was noon and we had just one more class after lunch. I entered my dorm to keep my potions materials and books before heading down to the common room. I didn't find Hermione. She must've already gone to have lunch so I left as well.

Reaching the great hall, I saw a group of second, third and fourth year girls surrounding someone. I walked forward and saw it was Hermione. Cho was among them. Those bitches were picking on her, showing her, her place in this world and telling her how she was not even worthy of befriending me as I could now clearly hear it. I took out my wand and looked at the staff table. No professors as many liked to have their lunch in their respective offices. I smiled and raised my wand at the group. Some students from different house tables saw me and were curious to know what I was doing.

I casted a silent air charm and put a very slight force of my core in it. The next moment saw those girls' group lying on the floor and on the table, groaning in pain upon impacting the floor and table. Hermione was teary, wiping away her tears every now and then. Her book was torn and her hair was ruffled. The girls had tried to give her a look of a whore. My temper rose.

"WHO DID THIS?" I roared at the top of my lungs. Everyone went silent as they all raised their head towards the Ravenclaw table now.

The girls looked terrified but then some thought what a firsty could do. I paid no attention toward them and walked towards Hermione. She was sniffing and was trying to avoid eye contact with me. I scowled. Hermione was strong. Why would she act like this? Then I realised those bitches had casted a silencing charm on her, preventing her from shouting or saying anything. My temper rose further but I tried to calm myself down somehow. I knew things would go bad if I let go of myself at the moment. I was on the edge, a mere distance away from losing myself and if not all, than many students around me would get severely injured, and some would even die. I wasn't simply the Chosen One as I had now come to know because of my magical core.

Waving my wand, I cancelled the silencing charm on Hermione and sat down beside her and looked her in the eyes.

"Tell me what happened?" I asked slowly, trying not to show her how angry I was at those girls because then she'd get scared and worried.

She didn't answered. I tried again. She didn't answer. So I got up and looked to the group of fallen girls and raised my wand and flickered my magic to show them who I really was if they tried to piss me off.

"Listen well," I said in a low voice so only those girls could hear, "I am going to say this once – if the one who's responsible of making Hermione cry won't come out now, I tell you I will find you and when that happens, I swear you won't like I at all. So I am saying this one last time. Come out who was responsible for making Hermione cry or none of this will end in a good way."

None came forward. The guts of these morons. I tried not to let go of myself.

"Fine," I said in a helpless gesture. "It's your funeral then."


	6. Chapter 6

All the staff members, Dumbledore, those girls, me and Hermione...in the headmaster's office. Dumbledore had a helpless gesture but I could see the real expressions of the man under his beard and moustache. The old fart was worried for the way I had treated these girls. Flitwick was confused as he looked from me and Hermione to the other senior girls. McGonagall, Vector, Burbage, Pomona and Hagrid were confused as well. Snape was furious. Clearly he was going to hold me responsible for what had happened.

"Harry, why did you hit them?" Dumbledore asked.

"I did what I saw best at the moment," I replied with a shrug. "They were picking up on Hermione and I couldn't watch it. They had silenced her, made her immobile and were...were doing unacceptable things with her. I thought Ravenclaws were better than that?" I said as I looked at Flitwick who had the most shocked expression in all of the members currently present in the room.

"Quit lying, Potter!" Snape said.

"Oh, I am not lying," I said. "I am not lying, Professor. I am not like the students of your house or like them," I said, pointing at the girls who all had their heads down. "I am not lying for the fact that bullying is practiced in the house of intelligence. I need to ask why? Why is it that they bullied Hermione? I want answers and I will not move from here until I get them and hear of the measures you will be taking against these girls!"

"Now listen, Harry..."

"Don't you 'listen Harry' to me, headmaster!" I shouted angrily. "Hermione's parents sent her here because they'd been told that Hogwarts was safe. Is this what's suppose to happen in the safest building in all of magical Britain?"

"I understand that they made mistakes, Harry," Dumbledore said, "But can't you give them all a second chance?"

"No," I said simply. "I was raised in a house where I was beaten for doing things as simple as scoring better marks than my elephant of a cousin..." many professors gasped and Dumbledore flinched. "...so all of that has made me rather hard. You may call me cruel for that...stone hearted...but I will hear none of it. They made mistakes; they'll be punished for it."

"What proof do you have?" asked a fourth year girl. I smiled and took out my wand and raised it in the air.

"I, Harry James Potter, swear on my life and on my magic that Hermione was being picked upon by the Ravenclaw girls currently present in the headmaster's office. So mote it be," I said and tapped my wand in the thin air as a white light surrounded me for a moment before vanishing away.

Everyone was shocked.

"Harry! You shouldn't have done that!" Dumbledore said. "You could've died!"

"No," I said. "I wouldn't die nor would I become a squib. I swore because I knew I was telling the truth. So why get scared of taking a wizard's oath?"

Dumbledore looked helpless and Snape's anger was probably rising like anything but the both of them knew they couldn't do anything now since I had proved my points with the oath. It was Flitwick who spoke a minute's silence later.

"Detention to all of you," Flitwick said, looking at the group of girls with angry eyes. "A month's detention. You don't know how embarrassed you all are making me feel right now. What you all did is utterly unacceptable from a house like Ravenclaw! I also take away fifty points and you all will be banned from your Hogsmead weekend until the Christmas holidays!"

"Not the Hogsmead weekend professor!" Cho pleaded.

"You should've thought of that before picking up on Ms Granger, Ms Chang!" Flitwick said. "Ms Granger is a bright and intelligent girl as I've already seen her in my class. And I will not hear of anything as bullying from this day forth. Do I make myself clear?"

The girls nodded and kept their heads down. Flitwick then looked at Hermione with an apologetic look. "I am sorry, Ms Granger," he said in a low voice, "for whatever these girls did to you. I hope they'll learn from their punishments. Mr Potter, I reward you twenty points for bringing up this matter to me. I will investigate and find out since how long has this bullying been practiced in my house. If anything of this sort happens again, you will come directly to me and not to any other staff as I see them now to be incapable of doing anything necessary." He said looking at Dumbledore.

"Thank you, professor," I said. Hermione just nodded and didn't say anything. "We both will leave now."

"Of course," Flitwick said with a slight nod and I took Hermione out of the office leaving behind an angry Ravenclaw head, a group of now in danger girls and the rest of the staff members along with Dumbledore. I was angry upon myself. I thought Hermione would be safe in Ravenclaw but I was wrong. I had forgotten how this house had picked upon Luna.

I took Hermione directly to the common room which was empty as the students were still in great hall having their lunch. I made her sit on the couch and sat beside her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked her softly.

"Thanks," she said slowly, her eyes had gone red from crying.

"Nonsense," I said waiving a hand. "You are my friend and I can't see you being picked upon by others."

She smiled.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her. She nodded but then said she didn't want to go to the great hall. I understood totally so I got up and brought my hand forward for her to take it. She looked at me with confused eyes and I smiled. "Come on, we are going to have lunch," I said.

"Where?' she asked.

"It's a surprise and it's definitely not in the great hall," I said.

She looked to be processing it all for a minute but then took my hand as she got up. I saw a slight blush upon her face she was trying to hide and acted as if I hadn't noticed it. I then took her out of the common room and headed towards the Hufflepuff tower.

"Why are we going towards the Hufflepuff tower?" she asked.

I remained silent and a minute later I took her through a portrait and her eyes widened as she found herself standing in Hogwarts' kitchen. But what amazed her more were the tiny creatures running here and there with plates and food in their hands.

"What...What are they?" she asked.

"House elves?" I said and she gave me a confused look. "They are magical creatures who work for the magical world like taking care of household chores and so on."

"They are slaves!?" she asked aghast.

"Not completely," I said, "However many pureblood families treat them as slaves. But the truth is, elves require magic to live on and they get it by working for someone. Hogwarts is different as the elves here are free and are paid for their work. Also, there's a lot of magic around and inside the school for them to feed on."

She kept looking at the tiny creatures so I nudged her.

"Come on," I said. "Let's find somewhere to sit and have our lunch." She nodded and we walked over to a small table at the corner of the kitchen as one elf saw us and came towards us with a smile on his face.

00000

I woke up and looked around. It was dark. A good thing about being in the house of the Claws – you get to have your own small bedroom with no one else to share it with you. I was alone in the small room. I knew I was being watched.

Getting off of my bed, I headed for where my clothes were hung and changed. Then I checked for tracking charms all over them and found three. The guts of the old fart! I removed them and placed them upon my bed. I couldn't risk making Dumbledore know that I was aware of his antics.

Freed from every damn spell of Dumbledore, I took out the small parchment from my trunk and unfold it, tapping my wand at it as I said the password. A smile came upon my face as I saw the map of Hogwarts being revealed in front of me. the Marauders' Map – I had studied it's making and the charms my parents and his friends had used on it. and it had taken me three years to finally understand the complex spells which had resulted in this amazing thing.

I saw Filch and Mrs Norris on the third floor, scanning it to be sure no students were up there. However, my destination for tonight wasn't the third floor.

I opened the door of my dorm and applied the disillusionment and silencing charms over me so no one could see or hear me. I had the disadvantage of not having my cloak but I will have it once I deal with Dumbledore.

Coming out of the common room, I headed towards a certain direction. Luckily, the place where I wanted to go was near the Ravenclaw tower and it took me three minutes to reach the seventh floor. I saw the wall and smiled. Thought about the room. It appeared and I entered. I had wished for the room of hidden things and I could now see the piles of broken furniture, lost items over the thousand years. The room was enormous with almost infinite number of things. However, I knew what I needed and where I needed to look for it.

It was ten minutes later that the room changed once more as per my wish and now I was standing in a large hall, my basilisk wand in my right hand and a small wooden box in my left hand. I placed the box on the ground and opened it. The tiara sparkled in its beauty and tempted me to wear it on my head, thanks to the horcrux that was inside it.

A reducto from my wand and the tiara was obliterated into nothing as the black tar like horcrux with Tom's disfigured face erupted from it with a deafening scream. I was once again thrown back due to the backlash generated from the destruction of the soul fragment and groaned as I hit the floor.

Two out of six were gone and now remained the diary, the cup, the locket and me. I knew the locket would be a hard one to find as I required Sirius for me to get inside number Twelve. The diary would come to Hogwarts the next year and I could ask the goblins to take out the horcrux from me and the cup with a small fee.

I exited the room, reapplying the charms upon me as I headed towards the common room when I heard someone walking in the next corridor. I walked fast to see who it was and saw Ron. He had a scowl on his face.

"Damn that Potter," I heard him say. "Because of him, now I will not be paid by Dumbledore anymore. I will see you Potter, for ruining my dreams, for having everything I wanted – money, fame, the attention of girls..." I stopped myself from laughing hard. The thick headed brat still thought I was happy with what I had. No wonder why Ron was dumb and stupid. I rolled my eyes and continued walking towards my common room. However, I did cast a wandless stinging hex on Ron's ass as he yelped and looked back, rubbing his ass with both hands. I saw and laughed at his expressions. He couldn't see or hear me. He thought it was the work of some ghost and walked away quickly.

The next few days weren't filled with much fun. I and Hermione took time to talk to Neville and also went to meet Hagrid who also liked Hermione and Neville's company. Dumbledore and Snape hadn't tried to disturb or intervene inside my head since the first day. I knew Dumbledore was re-planning as he looked to be lost during the meal times. Snape had formed a permanent scowl on his face and took more points from the rest of the houses. However, he tried not to piss me off since the threat I gave him on my first day. He was careful not to ask me senior year questions. He hardly asked me a question in the class.

A month had passed by and Dumbledore was looking worried. I could bet he was thinking how to make me go for the stone. But like I said before, things weren't going to happen his way this time. It was a Friday night and everyone was asleep in their rooms and dorms. The castle was silent and no one was on patrol for the night, not even Filch's cat. I saw Dumbledore was in his quarter, sleeping. I got off my bed, changed clothes and applied the disillusionment and silencing charms over myself and went out with my wands and the map.

I went straight to the room where the mirror was kept at the moment. It was an unused classroom and I entered and immediately spotted the mirror. I smiled and walked towards it. I knew Dumbledore had placed the stone in the mirror in the first place and Quirrell was doing nothing but wasting his time trying to plan ways to get inside the room on the third floor to get the stone while it waited for him here.

I took out my untraceable basilisk wand and casted a spell on the mirror I had learnt over my life. The mirror's glass shifted like it was watery and I immediately brought my hand forward and dipped it in the liquid glass. A few moments later I grasped the stone and pulled out my hand and a minute later the glass of the mirror solidified.

I looked at the stone, scanned it's detailing. It was the real stone, unlike the one Dumbledore had deliberately put in the mirror back in my first year when I had confronted Quirrell.

"I hope you'll like it," I muttered and kept the stone in my pocket and walked out of the room. I went to the owlry and called down a sleeping owl that was pissed off at me for ruining its sleep. I ignored its antics as I conjured a small paper box and placing the stone in it, tied it to the owl's leg, giving the creature instructions to where the parcel needed to go.

Quirrell was going to be so happy to finally get the stone his master so desperately wanted him to get.


	7. Chapter 7

It was Halloween and I was nervous. I got up and rubbed my eyes. It had been weeks after I had secretly sent that parcel to Quirrell. He hadn't done anything with it yet and I was glad for that. I still needed a little time for I had to destroy those remaining horcruxes. Destroying them once Tom had regained his body would be difficult as he'd then know that his anchors are being destroyed. At the moment, he was a spirit, not very much connected with his anchors so if I destroyed them now, he wouldn't know.

I walked down to the common room ten minutes later and Hermione greeted me. None of the girls had approached me since the day I had get them to have detention with Flitwick. And I was kind of glad with that. I wasn't here to make friends. I was here to kill.

"Good morning, Hermione," I said and gave her a hug. I saw trough the corner of my eyes how some girls turned red face from jealousy. I smiled underneath. Over the time I and Hermione had come a lot closer and hugging was very common between us. I had told her of my upbringing very honestly and she seemed hurt to listen to my days I had spent with the Durseleys. Remembering of which, I remembered getting a letter from Amelia two weeks ago stating that the Durseleys were to be charged with child abuse as she had taken care of it with her muggle world's police friends who were squibs and her friends. I was glad it had been taken cared of without them calling me or else I was sure Dumbledore would've intervened. The old fart was unknown to several things which were going right under his nose, especially the stone which now was with Quirrell and I was sure that in the Christmas holidays, Tom would regain his body back, which meant I had to destroy the horcruxes before that. I had written back to Amelia asking hr how was the investigation on Sirius coming and hadn't received a reply from her yet. I knew it was a dangerous job as not only Dumbledore but Fudge and various other death eaters inside the ministry didn't want Black to be free. They all had their different purposes for that and were very dangerous as they would even fall down to mercilessly kill those who tried to get Sirius free and prove him innocent. I saw only one other way and decided to follow it.

I knew the prisoners were allowed to have letters but from officials only so I had also attached a letter with the one I had sent to Amelia. It was addressed to Sirius and I had asked her to give it to Sirius. She had obliged to it.

As I and Hermione walked down to the great hall, many eyes stared us. Most of them were from our own house's members. They were all pissed off that I had caused them all to lose points. I didn't give a shit about it. they had tried to pick on Hermione and I had retaliated. I had told them all the same thing once more after I had come back to the common room that day. And to make it official, I had also told them that Hermione was now under the care of House Potter. The message went crystal clear in their heads as they all knew what it meant. But that didn't mean they wouldn't look at us with respectful eyes. The boys were fine but the girls had gone worse. Though none had picked upon Hermione since then, they also didn't approach to talk to her. She was friendless. Only I was there to talk to her but I couldn't always be around. She needed a girl friend in her life, too. And I was working on that. Many from other houses wanted to be my friend and Parvati and Lavender agreed to my words when I told them that if they wanted to be my friends, they also have to be friends with Hermione. The two girls immediately agreed and now Hermione had tow girl friends though I wouldn't trust them much.

The great hall had been nicely decorated as per the festive day's theme and the food was also delicious but then again, it always had been delicious. As soon as I and Hermione had taken our places, Neville, Lavender and Parvati joined us on the Ravenclaw table. We all shared the festive greetings and began to enjoy the tasty breakfast. I was only wondering what would happen today since we didn't have a charms class today unlike the last time. Also, we only shared just the history class with Gryffindor and even that wasn't today. We were saved by the lions; or rather Hermione was saved from Ron's comment.

Finishing up the breakfast, I and Hermione went for our first class of the day – potions. I hated the day. First it was the day Tom had killed my parents. Second, the magical world celebrated it as the day of Tom's destruction. Third...we had potions the first period.

Though Snape was now careful around me, it didn't mean I liked his class. He was still the same person, taking unnecessary points from us, scolding us, not teaching us properly and the list was infinitely long.

The classes ended quickly as we didn't have many classes today. The great hall had been lit up by the decorations of Halloween. Hollow out pumpkins and charmed bats floated above our heads. The ghosts also tried to scare us but it rather was funny seeing them trying to scare us. Finally they stopped as they tragically failed to scare us. Even the staff laughed as well at this.

This time I and Hermione decided to join Neville, Lavender and Parvati at the Gryffindor table. No one said anything. The twins did introduce themselves to us and I felt light in their company. They were the only Weasely apart from Arthur, Charlie and Bill whom I had come to like. We shook hands and some introductions were made when the expected happened.

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

I turned to look at the speaker though I knew who it was. Standing behind me was a red hair and red faced Ron Weasely. He was alone. I wasn't surprised. No one wanted to sit even a mile closer to this boy when it came for Ron eating his food. He was disgusting at it and had no table manners.

"I guess I am having the dinner with my friends," I said with a flat face. This resulted in Ron getting more angry.

"You are a Claw. Go sit with your bookworm friends. This isn't your house," Ron spat.

"I know," I said calmly as I put sausage piece in my mouth and chewed it slowly, making Ron more and more angrier. "And there's isn't a rule stating that students can't' sit at other house's tables."

The red hair had nothing to say back but as dumb as he was, I wasn't surprised when he took out his wand and pointed it at me. Fortunately for him, the twins quickly grabbed him from both sides and dragged him away, meanwhile apologising to me for their little brother's behaviour.

"Is he always like that?" Hermione asked Lavender and Parvati.

"Always," Lavender said.

"You wouldn't see any other student who hates other houses as much as he does," Parvati said.

"That's just wrong," Hermione said. "I mean, inter-house relations should be encouraged or else we will just be divided like this."

The two girls seemed to understand her words.

Half an hour had been passed and nothing had happened. I looked up at the staff table and Quirrell was missing. Then I remembered that since he had the stone now, he wouldn't be letting the troll inside the castle walls. Dumbledore looked worried. Well, he was looking worried since the start of the term. Hardly anything was going according to his plans. And now, his precious Weasely had been in a small argue with me.

The feast was over and we all headed to our common rooms after saying Parvati and Lavender good bye. No troll had entered the school grounds. Hermione hadn't been attacked by it. my plan was working successfully.

As everyone went to sleep, I woke up an hour later and sneaked out from the common room, disillusioning myself and with the map and my wands with me, I headed for the owlry. I had a letter to write to my vault manager.

00000

Christmas came and Dumbledore approached me to stay in the castle. He sounded as if he was suffering from constipation. According to him, I hadn't yet discovered what it was behind that door on the third floor; far less know about the stone.

"Why would you want me to stay in the castle?" I asked.

Because it is safe for you here," Dumbledore said.

It was time I let Dumbledore know of what I had become. "With all due respect, headmaster," I said with as much respect as I could, "I will not be staying in the castle for the holiday. I have no friends here but Hermione and Neville and they both will be leaving for their respective homes. It will be boring for me to stay here."

"I thought you said that the Durseleys abused you?" Dumbledore asked.

"They did," I said. "But not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked as if he was about to receive a big shock. Well, he was.

"I got my emancipation and am now the head of my house. I will be staying in my ancestral home over the holidays and I very well can entertain myself there rather better than I can at the castle without any friends."

Dumbledore looked as if he had been told to go on a date with Snape. His constipated look got a lot worse as he looked at me with an expression I had never seen on him.

"Harry! Why did you get yourself emancipated?" he asked. "You know it is dangerous. You will now be recognised as an adult and will be dealt like one in every field!"

"I know," I said. "I did it as per my parents' wish."

"You...You read their will?" Dumbledore asked.

"I did," I said. "On the very day Hagrid took me for shopping at Diagon Alley. I also found out that I was never supposed to live with my relatives. Tell me, headmaster, do you know anything about it?"

He looked as if someone had kicked him hard in his gut but then his expression changed suddenly as his face grew that of the one a headmaster should have.

"I am sorry, Harry but I can't allow you to leave the castle," he said in an 'end of discussion' manner. I smiled.

"I suppose you don't get it, do you headmaster?" I asked. What part of me being an emancipated minor don't you understand? You have no right to command me as you are not my guardian and even if you were, I being emancipated wouldn't let you take control of my charge."

"But as being your headmaster, I am telling you that you will not be leaving the castle," Dumbledore said as if he had won the argument.

"Fine," I said.

Dumbledore looked happy. I bed him goodbye and left the hall. I came back to my dorm, packed away my belongings and then went out again, to Flitwick's office. The tiny professor was enjoying a morning tea as he went over through some charms book.

"Ah, Mr Potter," he said in his squeaky voice, "what brings you here?" he asked.

"I have come here to ask your permission to let me go back to my home for the holidays," I asked.

Flitwick looked a little shocked. "Well, I don't think that's something to ask for, Mr Potter. Your name's on the list and you have your full right to leave the castle and go to your home for the holidays," he said.

"I know," I said. "But the headmaster doesn't want me to go. He wants me to stay here. he tells that it is safer for me here."

He does have a point though," the tiny professor said as he placed his finger on his cheek thinking of something.

"But I will not be returning to the Durseleys, professor," I said and he immediately had my attention.

"You...You wouldn't" he asked.

"No," I said. "I had my emancipation on the day I went to Diagon Alley to have my school stuff. I read my parents will and found that I was never supposed to be sent to the Durseleys. I have inherited my ancestral home and was living there after the day I had come to know about my family and my inheritance. As you can see, headmaster has no right to make me stay here in the castle as I am now an emancipated minor. He then told me that as being my headmaster, he is telling me not to leave the castle grounds. That's why I came to you. I want you to permit me to leave the castle and go to my home for the holidays."

"Hmm," Flitwick hummed as he thought. I could see he was a little angry on Dumbledore. The tiny professor was smart, no reason why he was the head of Ravenclaws. He now had come to know, for some extent that Dumbledore was in to mood of interfering in my life. "I see," he said. "Don't worry, Mr Potter, you have my permission on this. You can go to your home for the holidays. I will see the headmaster."

"Thank you professor," I said and left the office. I had a smile on my face. Dumbledore didn't know his weapon wouldn't be in the castle for two weeks. I got enough time in my hands to hunt for the horcrux. Suddenly an idea struck me. I wanted to hit myself hard as to why couldn't I think of it before. But then a problem also came up. I needed to see my vault manager as soon as I was out of Dumbledore's clutches.

As I, Hermione and Neville got off the carriage and headed for the train, I had many things running in my mind. I was re-thinking over and over again about what I had realised half an hour ago in the castle.

00000

I popped inside the receiving room of Potter Manor with Tibby whom I had called to take me home. I knew I had to hurry. There were two reasons – Quirrell now had the stone and he's take the very first chance to have his master his body. The second was Dumbledore and Snape would find out about the stone one way or the other within the holidays.

I went over to my room, kept my stuff and let Hedwig out of her cage so she could fly out, enjoy the day. It was faster for her to come by train as the manor was very far and it would take her at least two days if she was to come here by flying from Hogwarts.

I changed to some fresh clothes and told Tibby I was going out. She nodded and apparated me to Diagon Alley from where I went to Gringotts and straight to the office of Ragnok. The feral goblin and I greeted each other and after the formalities were done, I was told to sit and discuss the reason for coming here to see him.

"I suppose you received my letter vault keeper Ragnok?" I asked.

"I did," he said in a grim voice. "Is it true then?"

"Yes. And it's right here," I said, indicating my scar.

"It will be done, Lord Potter," Ragnok said.

"And that's why I came here. Also," I said, "I suspect that Voldemort wouldn't have created just one but many and I suspect one of them could be in one of his very close followers' vault here, at Gringotts."

The goblin's eyes widened at that. "You mean to say that such a foul thin has been inside the walls of Gringotts all this long?"

"I suspect so," I said. "When I found out about his anchors, I tried to find it and you will be surprised to know that I can hear them – his other anchors. I found one at Hogwarts. It was the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. I suppose he deliberately made a founder's item his horcrux because he wanted others to know that he was stronger than the founders themselves."

"Hmm, him making his followers responsible for his anchor seems valid and if that's that then there's no other safe place that Gringotts itself for that death eater to place the horcrux. I see what you mean, Lord Potter," Ragnok said. "I will get my fellow goblins to look for it and will contact you once we find it."

"I'd recommend something related to the founders. As I suspect only the sword is not missing from Hogwarts. The other three items of the other three founders were missing, one of which I found at Hogwarts," I said. "Also, I also wanted to ask you that is there a possibility to use a linking charm on these horcruxes? That way we only have to find just one of them and then link it to others. Once we destroy this one horcrux, others will automatically get destroyed."

"That is possible, but it will take away your life, too, Lord Potter," Ragnok said.

"I know," I said. "That's why I want your healers to take out the horcrux from me first and then proceed with it."

The goblin smiled. "Alright," he said. "Follow me. We'll get it out from you."

We both got up from our seats and Ragnok took me to the underground society of the goblins.

00000

Tibby served me with some chilled butterbeer as the ritual of taking out the horcrux from me was a very tiring and painful one.

"Are you okay, master?" the tiny elf asked.

"Tibby, how many times have I told you to call me Harry?" I asked.

"Sorry master, err, Harry," Tibby said.

"And I am okay. Just a little tired. I guess a little rest will do me good," I said.

"I will prepare your bed," Tibby said.

"I'll appreciate it, Tibby," I said and the elf popped away.

An hour later I had dinner. It was already late at night and I was really tired when Tibby popped in my room with a letter in her hand.

"Sorry to barge in, Harry," she said, "but you have a letter."

I took the letter and saw it was from Amelia.

.

'Dear Harry,

I hope you are fine. I needed to tell you that I have gathered enough evidence to prove that your godfather is innocent and that he wasn't the one to betray your parents. Also, you told me to investigate the one responsible for putting him in Azkaban. I did and the result was surprising. I don't know how you'll take this but it was Dumbledore. He's the one responsible for putting Sirius in Azkaban. He was also the prime witness of your parents' will and knew that you weren't suppose to go to the Durseleys and even then he sent you there, acting as your magical guardian. I now know that he has no authority on you since you've got yourself emancipated. A wise decision if I have to say so.

I have managed to get the light side of Wizengmot agree with me to raise the question of giving Sirius Black a trial as soon as the body sits for the session. I would also like for your presence as your presence will prove to put weight and help us get your godfather justice. I know this is dangerous since Dumbledore's mane has come up. It was really hard for me to get the Wizengmot members agree to raise Sirius' issue. Dumbledore's a powerful figure and many of whom I have talked haven't responded yet and that's also why I was looking forward to your presence at Wizengmot. Since you are emancipated, you wouldn't need a proxy. The seat of Potter House has been empty since your grandfather's death as your father was never interested in politics. I know you don't want this but I see there's no other way but for you to be present as soon as the next session of Wizengmot meets. The date isn't confirmed yet but I will owl you once I know it so you can come prepared.

I hope you are doing okay.

Amelia Bones,

Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement.'

.

I folded the letter. I knew it wasn't going to be easy for me to go through the part of Dumbledore. The old bastard was just too stubborn to get rid off and it made me nothing but more and angrier. However, at the current moment, I needed to focus on Tom. I knew I had given Ragnok enough clues for him to concentrate his options as to what and where could the horcrux be within the walls of Gringotts.

I put the letter on the side table beside my bed. I kept looking at it. I was wondering what will happen once Sirius is free. The last time he couldn't remain free as his name wasn't cleared. Should I tell him of the truth? Should I not? It was going to be emotionally difficult for me to meet him after these many years. Then there was Remus. His whereabouts were unknown at the moment and I couldn't find him until I would meet him in my third year or probably not as I had given Quirrell the stone. There was a purpose for that – a very important one as it would make me easy to kill that bastard but it had also decreased the window I could have to get to the things with more vividness.

I gave out a sigh, used mu occlumency to push aside whatever was going in my mind. I needed rest. I needed to make more plans for further on. I needed to plan what I was going to do with the Weaselys. A war was coming way too sooner than anyone could realise it. I knew Tom would attack once he had gathered back his faithful slaves. Dumbledore would be oblivious to it this time and I wanted him to be. I couldn't bear him anymore and wanted him out of the way as soon as possible. He was the real dark lord in my eyes and so were his loyal. And I needed to finish them all off.

I pulled the blanket over me as the lights inside the room magically went off. I needed sleep so I could wake up tomorrow again. I had plans to make and lives to take for morality had betrayed me and I was not going to be moral once again...not until these evils were destroyed. You are right Dumbledore if you think that without your guidance I will go dark. I want to.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: A small chapter...**

Three days since I returned back for the holidays, I received a letter from Ragnok. It spoke of the succession that the goblins had finally found out the horcrux. It was, as Ragnok had written, a golden cup of Helga Hufflepuff. I wrote back, requesting him to arrange a meeting before destroying the horcrux.

The breakfast was good. Tibby really knew how to cook. I thanked her for the meal and went out in the grounds of Potter Manor. The land was vast – a hundred acres of forest and open grasslands. Big enough for me to test my full potential. I wanted Voldemort to stay alive because of the damned prophecy. I had to ask the goblins to remove Tom from the link and wait until he had gained his body with the help of the stone. It will be different this time as Tom didn't know that he stood no chance against me.

I took out my wand, raised it high in the air and fired off a bombarda with everything I had.

A huge explosion took place quickly followed by a powerful shockwave which threw me off of my feet as I landed metres away from where I stood and hit my back real hard. I groaned with pain and exhaustion. I really needed to efficient my spell castings or else I wouldn't even last a minute against Tom though he was magically weaker than me. Experience, as I had come to learn, was very important in every field of life. I had to gain experience of utilising my core efficiently so that I wouldn't tire myself out when the time comes.

I was taken back inside the manor with Tibby who floated me and put me down on my bed with a worried and a little angry face.

"What were you thinking?" she asked angrily. I smiled. She cared for me. I couldn't blame her. She had watched me as a child, had waited ten years for me to return in this timeline and almost a seventy years in my original timeline. I sighed mentally. My old timeline was lost forever. Hermione's spell was a one shot. I was stuck here and so I had to decide what I needed to do. I didn't want to continue living in the magical world after I had done my work. But I couldn't also turn my back on these people. Many had hopes from me as they actually saw me as their saviour, their hero. It all happened that night at Godric's Hollow. Why did you have to do it, mum? Why couldn't you just let that bastard kill me? I bet death would've been better than this suffering!

I shook my head. What was I thinking? I was getting paranoid again. It wasn't good for this young body. No. I had to make it strong. Strong enough to let it withstand the wear and tear my actual body could withstand. I had to train it, and retrain myself – again.

00000

I couldn't believe it had all worked out. Amelia had done a marvellous job after all. I could trust her blindly. She was like Snape was for Dumbledore when he spoke of his trust on that greasy git.

Tibby apparated back once she left me at Amelia's office. The DMLE head, as I saw her, was in her mid twenties. I wasn't surprised. My parents had married as soon as they had graduated from Hogwarts and then I was born a year later. Since Amelia was a friend of my parents and also her classmate, she was of the same age as my parents.

The SMLE head saw me and rose from her seat. Her eyes widened when she saw me.

"Harry!" she exclaimed as she approached me. Before I could say or do anything, I found myself to be engulfed by a tight hug from her. "I know this is too late but I am so sorry for what happened in your life!" she said. I swear I could hear a glint of cry in her voice. She was crying. Wow! I had never imagined a woman as tough as her to be able to cry. She was the third toughest woman I had ever come to know in my whole life, the first being Hermione and the second, McGonagall.

When the hug was broken, I saw her eyes were wet. I had never seen the expression of such guilt on her face. Well, I had actually never met her nicely. I had first seen her before the beginning of my fifth year in the last timeline and as soon as Voldemort's return had come to light, the first ever to go down was Amelia.

"It is good to see you, madam Bones," I said.

"You know, you will hurt my feelings if you ever call me madam," Amelia said. "I am your honorary aunt, Harry, if you don't know that."

"I know," I said. "It's just that I am meeting you for the very first time with my working senses as I don't remember how much we'd have seen each other when I was a baby."

"You know, when you appeared out of nowhere inside my office with Tibby, I thought, for once, that James had returned back," she said, her eyes starting to water again. "You are so like them, Harry...your parents. And they'd be proud to know what a guy you've become at such a young age."

'I didn't know whether I agreed with her or not. I had returned back with motives of taking out many lives. Would my parents be really proud 'f me?' I thought when she spoke those words. I had always heard people say this before as well, in my original timeline. They said I would've made my parents proud if they were alive back then.

"I saw it as the safest way to reach you Aunt Amelia," I said.

"I know Harry," she said with a smile. "So, you will be taking your place at the Wizengmot today?"

"It's the second on my agenda today. The first is to see my godfather walk out through that door free," I said.

"I still can't believe Dumbledore would be the one to do that," she said.

"I know it is hard for you but I, too, have come to some light over these facts," I said. "What I am about to tell you is a real big secret so I would like you to promise me not to tell anyone about it unless it is a life and death situation because then you'll seriously get in some trouble." I saw as her face immediately became serious.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I want to tell you why my parents went under hiding as soon as I was born," I said. "There was actually a prophecy spoken about me and Voldemort. It was said by Trelawney, the Divination professor at Hogwarts when Dumbledore had gone to interview her for the post. It was said to Dumbledore. The prophecy states that the one to defeat Voldemort will born at the end of July to those who had thrice defied him. Also, Voldemort will mark him as his equal but the boy will have the power Voldemort doesn't know of. And also, one of them has to die for neither can live while the other survives. It's what the prophecy says or at least means. Dumbledore heard it but unfortunately a death eater also overheard it but only half before he was caught and was thrown away from the place where Dumbledore was interviewing Trelawney. That death eater went straight to Voldemort and told him the half heard prophecy and Voldemort realised that there were only two children who could be possible subject of the prophecy. Can you tell me who those two children were?"

"You and Neville!" Amelia said as I saw her gasping with the shock of what she was hearing.

"That's right," I said. "But since I was born a day after Neville, Voldemort thought I was the subject but he didn't want to let the other possible subject to live as well and so he sent, as per my knowledge, two death eaters to Neville's place which lead his parents going insane over protecting him. As for my parents, Dumbledore knew I and Neville would be the possible subjects and so he advice my and Neville's parents to go under hiding. Neville and his parents went to their ancestral home which was under fidilius with Dumbledore being their secret keeper. My parents took me and went to Godric's Hollow. They wanted Sirius to be their secret keeper but Sirius denied as he would be the possible choice of their secret keeper. However, they all agreed to let the others know that Sirius was their secret keeper while Peter Pettigrew was actually made the secret keeper of Potter Cottage. Unfortunately, he was the betrayer and informed Voldemort about it."

I stopped and allowed Amelia to take in everything I had just said when as per my guess, she realised something.

"You said Dumbledore was the secret keeper of the Longbottoms," Amelia asked. I nodded. "Then how come the death eaters knew of the Longbottom's hideout?"

"My only guess would be that Dumbledore let them know of the address," I said.

"But why?" she asked.

"He wants a weapon," I said. "I know it now because I have come to know a part of his plan. He placed me at the care of the Durseleys knowing they would be abusive towards me. They thrashed me, bet me with belt, and denied me of food for weeks and what not. Dumbledore wanted this all to happen so that I would be a lonely, helpless child in need of some father figure when I enter the magical world. Then he'd some to me, make it look like he cares for me so much and then I will begin to trust him and then he will mould me the way he wants – as a weapon. Neville could've been in place of me, I must tell you if Voldemort hadn't come after me but him. Also, the night Voldemort gave me the scar, he accidently marked me as his equal. Dumbledore came to know about it and knew I was the one the prophecy spoke of and altered his plans for me and not Neville. For the last months I have spent in Hogwarts, I saw Dumbledore trying to intervene in my life and personal matters. The abuses I received at the Durseleys actually did the reverse of what Dumbledore wanted me to happen. It made me have trust issues. I entered the magical world with Hagrid who had been sent under Dumbledore's words to help me with my shopping. While shopping, I also bought a few books on the wizarding cultures, self defence, laws and many others and went through them for the time I had before going to Hogwarts. I learnt of occlumency realising there was a counter spell called legillimency giving the caster the ability to read other people's mind."

"How...How do you know of all this?" Amelia asked.

"To answer you that," I said, "I will have to ask your permission to use my wand here to make you believe me what I am about to say."

She looked hesitant but then nodded slightly, raising wards so the ministry couldn't detect underage magic. I pulled out my phoenix wand and raised it in the air.

"I, Harry James Potter, swear on my life and on my magic that whatever I am about to say to Amelia Bones it the truth. So mote it be," I said and tapped the wand in thin air as my body glowed for a moment and when it cleared off, a wide eyed Amelia was looking at me.

"Harry! You didn't need to do that!" she said.

"I am sorry, Aunt Amelia," I said. "But I needed you to believe me no matter what. I know of all this because I have experienced it all before. I have come back in time."


	9. Chapter 9

The door opened and I quickly waved my hand over my face, hiding away my scar. Amelia came out of her shock as she looked at the door which was creaked open and a young girl's face was peeking in.

"Rosa," Amelia said.

"Ma'am, we are ready for the hearing," the girl named Rosa said then she noticed my presence and immediately took out her wand and pointed it at me. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Its okay, Rosa," Amelia said. "He came here on my call. He is not dangerous."

Rosa looked at her boss and then slowly pulled away her wand. Her eyes, however, never left my face.

"We'll be out in a moment," Amelia said and Rosa nodded and closed the door as she walked away. Amelia's gaze then turned towards me. The shocked feelings returned back in her eyes as she looked at me wide eyed.

"I want you not to tell this to anyone, Aunt Amelia," I said. "It will be safer that way for everyone."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I knew it was Dumbledore who was responsible for putting Sirius and me to Azkaban and at the Durseleys. I know because I am experiencing things rather once more. Let's go to the hearing first, aunt. We can talk about it all later today if you are free," I said. Amelia nodded slowly, the surprised look never leaving her face.

It was ten minutes later that I and Amelia were on the lift, heading up for the Wizengmot hall. It was official now – Sirius Black had been denied of any hearing and was tossed in Azkaban ten years ago.

As the lift's door opened, I saw a horde of reporters with their cameras, quills and notepads. Among them was one particular reporter – Rita Skeeter. I scowled immediately once I saw her. Fortunately Amelia and I were not travelling alone. Her auror guards formed a circle around her and me and started escorting us towards the hall where the hearing was supposed to take place.

Inside was silence as I and Amelia entered the hall with her auror guards who were then asked by Amelia to guard the entry doors and forbid anyone other than the ones whose names were on the list of today's attendance, enter. The aurors nodded and left us. Saw not many had noticed our presence so I ruffled my hair, brought them all over my forehead before waving my hand over my face in a casual manner to cancel the light glamour charm which was hiding away my scar. Amelia showed me where the seat of Potter house was and I started walking towards it. Only then people noticed me. They wondered what a child was doing amongst them when they realised as I headed and sat on the seat of House Potter.

Silence.

Everyone was wide-eyed looking at me. They hadn't realised that I would also be the one governing today's hearing – like them. Amelia called in two of her auror guards and stationed them each on my sides as my body guards. She knew it was important as many death eaters were also sitting inside the hall. Fortunately three main people – Fudge, Umbridge and Dumbledore hadn't arrived yet. I would love to see their faces once they see me.

As if my luck heard me, the hall's doors opened and in came the minister and his 'trust worthy' undersecretary Umbridge. She was wearing her signature pink attire and had the fake cat-like smile on her face. My blood boiled at her sight and I somehow controlled myself from killing her. I wanted her dead but I didn't have to get my hands dirty. Voldemort was going to return soon and he'll do it all for me.

Soon after the minister and his undersecretary, in came Dumbledore in his finest of purple robes with a sleeveless robe upon his purple one which had Supreme Warlock written on its back. However, unlike the minister and Umbridge, Dumbledore saw me as soon as he entered the hall and stopped cold at his feet.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" he asked, too shocked to see me here. He was wondering how come he hadn't known of me coming here. Poor old man didn't know I had left all his detecting charms back at my dorm in Hogwarts.

I didn't answer him, just ignored him. But on the inside, I was smiling wide. However, Dumbledore's words gained the attention of Fudge and he paled slightly, seeing me.

"Harry, my boy..."

"It's Lord Potter to you minister," I said, cutting him in between. "And also to you, Chief Warlock."

Before Fudge or Dumbledore or Umbridge, as I saw her about to clear her throat to say something, could say something, the doors opened and in came the remaining members of the Wizengmot. I recognised Lucius, Crabbe, Goyle and many other death eaters. I gritted my teeth as anger flooded inside me. But then remembered of the dark mark they all had.

'Worry not, dear Lucy. Your slavery to your master will take away your life,' I thought as I saw at the small group of death eaters taking their places in the hall. I noticed they all had a scowl on their faces. Clearly, they didn't want Sirius to be free; especially Lucius because he knew it well how much Sirius hated him. He knew what will happen if Sirius gets the control of Black House.

Once everyone was seated, Amelia cleared her throat, not wasting any more time.

"We are here today to witness the hearing of Sirius Orion Black, accused of betraying Lily and James Potter to He Who Must Not Be Named on the eve of Halloween, ten years ago along with killing twelve muggles and also Peter Pettigrew, a friend of the Potters. Bring in the accused," Amelia said and the auror standing at the door nodded and opened the door. In came Sirius with chains binding him everywhere possible. I knew those chains were charmed with spells preventing Sirius from doing any sort of magic, especially wandless. As long as he was in those chains, I knew he couldn't turn into Padfoot nor he could tap into his core and do anything at all using his magic. This was barbaric!

The chains made clanking noise as they were dragged on the ground when Sirius walked limply towards the small chair which was placed there for him. He hadn't noticed me yet. He was just too weak to do so. The aurors made him sit on the chair removed the chains before binding him with an incarcerous. A man then entered though another door behind where Fudge was sitting and poured the entire vial of pepper up potion in Sirius' mouth so he could at least be in the state enough for the trial to go on.

I saw as even the potion took longer than it was supposed to take but eventually, Sirius' face was returned to some glow thanks to the potions. But he was barely in the state to talk using his mind. Maybe that's what Dumbledore and Fudge had wanted.

Suddenly, I heard the gravel being tapped on the wooden desk as Dumbledore said, "I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, declares that the court is in session now." And he tapped his desk with the gravel once more. I rolled my eyes. He had no need to speak his full or rather his fake name at all.

Amelia stood up from her place, a folder in her hand. "Sirius Black, you were accused of betraying James and Lily Potter to You Know Who. Do you comply with that?" she asked.

"N...No," Sirius said in a half catatonic state.

"Do you have a solicitor to prove you are innocent?" Amelia asked.

"He does," I said, standing up in my place as many turned to look at me and now had their eyes wide with shock.

"Ahem, ahem," she cleared her throat and I formed two fists with my hands. "What is a child doing here inside Wizengmot?" Umbridge asked.

"The child you speaking of is Lord Potter, head of most ancient and noble house of Potters," I said with anger in my words. "So I would like you to acknowledge me with some respect madam undersecretary. And yes, I am Sirius' solicitor for today's hearing because he is currently under the protection of House Potter, unless he is given the ownership of his house. Madam Bones," I asked, turning towards Amelia, "isn't it possible for me to be my godfather's solicitor as I am the head of a noble and ancient house?"

"You have the full right to be Sirius Black's solicitor, Lord Potter," Amelia said with a glint of smile. "Please proceed with your client's dealings."

"Thank you Madam Bones," I said and bowed slightly and came down and stood where Sirius was currently sitting under binds. He turned his head slowly to look up at me with wide eyes. I saw him form a sloppy smile on his face. He was not in his right mind at the moment. I knew because the way he was behaving, I was now sure that there was something else mixed with the potion the man had just brought in for Sirius.

I walked around him, creating some suspense effect before I pulled out a rolled parchment from my robes which Amelia had given me in her office. "I have the Gringotts' copy of the final will and testament of my parents in which it is stated that Sirius Black went through the Godfather Ritual when he was made responsible of the weight," I said and gave the parchment to Amelia who opened it, tapped her wand on it and a moment later every other member inside the hall had a copy of it in their hands. I heard many gasps. I smiled. "As you know," I continued, he would've died if he'd even think of something bad about me or my parents. I then took out a torn page from my father's journal I had acquired from my family vault after returning back from Hogwarts. "And this piece of evidence from my father's journal is enough to prove that Sirius Black was never their secret keeper but it was Pettigrew." I passed the parchment to Amelia and she magically distributed each member a copy of it. "I suppose these two pieces of evidence are more than enough to prove the innocence of my godfather. But if that's not, I would request to question him myself under the influence of veritaserum."

"That will not be necessary Lord Potter," Amelia said in an angry voice. She was glaring at Fudge who whimpered in his seat. "As proxy to the ancient and noble house of Bones, I announce Sirius Black innocent of all the accuses."

"As proxy to the most ancient and noble house of Longbottoms, I second to it."

I turned and saw he regal face of Neville's grandma. I smiled.

"As we have a second," said Amelia in her authoritative voice, the voting will begin now. Those in favour to declare Sirius Black innocent, raise their wands."

More than half of the Wizengmot members raised their hands, showing their support to Sirius' innocence. I knew I had won. Fudge had his hands down but then he raised it as he saw many were. He didn't want to be in the bad books of the members of Wizengmot.

"Those who vote for Sirius Black's guilty, raise your wands," Amelia said and the first two hands to go up was of Lucius and Umbridge's. Slowly, others also raised their wands, many of them death eaters. But it was clear that their votes won't do a difference. A majority of the Wizengmot had voted for Sirius being innocent.

Bu the counting of both side's vote, I now declare Sirius Black innocent and removed of all charges," Dumbledore said in a helpless voice as he banged the gravel on the desktop.

Amelia rose from her seat and flourished her wand, vanishing away the incarcerous which was binding away Sirius and I helped him get up.

"Pu...Pup?" he said.

"It's over Sirius," I whispered to him. "You are free now. Let's get you home."

As the members of the Wizengmot started going out of the room, Amelia approached me and Sirius before Dumbledore could as he struggled though the crown of the Wizengmot members to try and approach me as I saw it from the corner of my eyes.

"Madam Bones," I acknowledged her formally, "I suppose we have some conversations to do?"

"We do, Lord Potter," she said with a glint of smile. I smiled back as I helped support Sirius to stand somehow. "Let's retire to my office."

And so I, Sirius and Amelia were escorted to her office by eight auror guards circling around us. We didn't speak to any of the reporters and I and Amelia ignored Dumbledore who kept calling my name from behind.

Rosa, Amelia's secretary, closed the door once we three were inside. Amelia instructed Rosa not to let anyone, especially the minister and Dumbledore in. The young secretary was first shocked but then nodded in acceptance.

Amelia applied a lot of silencing and privacy wards before settling down. I called in Tibby and told her to take Sirius back to Potter Manor and then come back as quickly as she can. The tiny elf nodded, took Sirius and popped away. Amelia looked up at me with confused eyes as I pointed my wand at her.

My mind was clear with only those thoughts I wanted her to forget as I levelled my wand at her forehead.

Tibby popped back right then and I caught her hand. Amelia was still confused as my wand's tip started to glow a faint white and her eyes widened knowing what spell I was going to cast on her.

"I am sorry," I said, "but I can't let anyone know of this. Not even you, Aunt Amelia. Obliviate!"


	10. Chapter 10

I apparated within Potter Manor with Tibby. "Where's he?" I asked as soon as I materialised within the receiving room.

"I gave him a sleeping drought along with a flushing potion. He is currently asleep in the third room on the second floor's fourth corridor," Tibby said.

"Thank you, Tibby," I said, grateful to the elf. "Will you inform me once he's awake?" I asked her.

"I will, Harry," Tibby said and popped away. I kept looking at where the elf was a moment ago and let out a sigh. I looked down on the floor, and then took out my basilisk wand. I knew I had to do this. I knew it wasn't going to be a hard one for me because I had seen and experienced far worse pain in my life. I traced my scar, it felt light. I knew it was fading since the day the goblin healers had removed it from my head. What I was about to do, were they really worth it? No! I shook my head. I had to think straight. This was what I had come back for. I had promised myself that I will not go weak. I will show them what a helpless child was capable of.

I picked up the small marble from the marble bowl which was placed on the small table in front of me and tapped my wand on it, an image within my head I imagined as I tapped my wand on the small glass sphere. I opened my eyes and saw the marble's glow ending. This was time to end the first miserable lives from the face of the earth.

"Activate!" I said and felt the familiar tug in my belly region as I popped away. I landed firmly on a snow covered lawn and looked around. I was in their backyard. Their house was decorated like all other houses as Christmas was approaching fast. I looked through the window those monsters...those freaks w ho had made my life so miserable. They looked so happy and contended. It was as if they were the most peaceful family ever. I scoffed at the mere thought of it. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.

I took out my basilisk wand and raised it at the backyard's door when she saw me from the inside and the plate of sweets fell from her hand.

A blast.

The door obliterated from its hinges as my spell connected with it. Petunia was thrown away as she was the one nearest to the door. I heard her unconscious body fell hard on the floor with a loud thud. Then noise followed as Vernon and Dudley ran to see what had happened. I looked at them both. My cousin – he had never learnt to be good. In my timeline, he had spent life imprisonment for killing two people and for thirteen rape cases for each of which he was found guilty. The law system was corrupt as Vernon paid them a small fortune to reduce his son's punishment and that was the only reason Dudley hadn't received a death sentence but a life imprisonment. Even after that Vernon and Petunia hadn't realised what a monster they had made. Well, if that monster wasn't Dudley, then it was me.

I walked forward, my wand still raised at my uncle and my cousin as they both stood with pale faces. Two incarcerous and the two elephants in humans' body fell on the floor. An evil grin came on my face. It was time. Avenging was really sweet.

I pointed my wand at Dudley as I wandlessly casted a silencing ward around the house. This is going to be the sweetest of the songs I have ever heard. I re-pointed my wand from Dudley to Petunia as something popped up in my mind and casted a reducto at her unconscious body, exploding it inside out. A wandless shield charm prevented me from the blood shower as it covered the roof, floor and everything else including Vernon and Dudley.

I then looked with an emotionless face at my cousin but then I turned my attention towards Vernon and pointed my wand at him. I could see his lips moving, pleading to me but it was as if I had gone deaf. I knew this feeling. I knew what was happening. And I liked it.

The spell I casted never came out of my wand if someone thought he could see it but that's how the spell worked. No one could see it but everyone could feel it.

Vernon cried at the top of his lungs as my unforgivable connected to him, throwing his body in shock after shock of immense mental and physical pain. Seeing his hippo of a body, I knew his body will give up first rather than his mind and so I continued and it wasn't long before Vernon threw up his early morning breakfast over himself and on the floor, still trying to scream and puke at once.

I had heard it right – one needed to have hatred towards that person on whom he needed to cast this spell. I continued the onslaught shower of pain on Vernon's body and wandlessly casted the hovering charm as well, floating his writhing body in thin air. He had wet his pants.

"You know," I said in a cold voice, "it was a thousand times more painful with me when I was living under you. And you call me a freak." I used the hatred to increase the intensity of the cruciates even more and it was only a couple more seconds later that Vernon's mind snapped. I saw as his eyes rolled back and his body gave a huge jerk. He was gone. The Vernon whose terror I had witnessed and experienced all those years ago was no more. He was alive, but not for long.

I cancelled the hovering charm and his heavy body fell heavily with a loud thud.

Then my eyes shifted to Dudley and I grinned.

"It's your turn now, dear cousin."

00000

I walked out of the house leaving behind two dead bodies and a leftover of Petunia's body. The street was empty and it was past noon. Since it was winter, the sun could already be seen descending down at the horizon. I turned around and saw the hell house Dumbledore had left me to suffer in. I scowled as I raised my wand. I could feel the wards Dumbledore had placed all around the Durseleys' place. I knew he'd know so I didn't need to work out too much for this.

I closed my eyes and raised my wand at the house, applying a disillusionment charm using my other hand to avoid someone from seeing me. I tapped into my core and my wand arm started to vibrate with the sheer amount of power. I smiled, levelled my wand exactly at the centre of my target and casted a reducto, taking out the entire house. A wandless shield protected me from the flying wood and concrete. As the smoke cleared, a completely shattered house of the Durseleys was in front of me. Oh, how happy I was. I knew I was acting way too paranoid right now but I needed it. I needed the paranoid feeling because I didn't want to feel the pain my morality will cause inside me. I had just killed my mother's sister's family and my paranoia was telling me to be happy about it – something I definitely was.

I knew Dumbledore's appearance was mere moments away and I raised my wand again and cast the darkest spell the wizarding world will come to see in a few days' time.

The spell went straightaway up, into the sky, among the clouds before a loud explosion took place and I saw many of the muggles coming out of their warm houses to look for the source of the sound and immediately saw the smoky house of the Durseleys. I was under the disillusionment charm so no one could see me. I heard someone scream, someone exclaiming 'oh my goodness! Someone shouted 'call an ambulance!' while someone shouted to call the fire department. I rolled my eyes at their antics. This was how low the humans had fallen. They wouldn't come forward to help but will wait for the others.

It was only a few more seconds later that I heard a middle aged woman's scream.

"What is that?" the woman screamed looking up at the dark mark I had casted a few minutes ago – the source of the explosion.

I smiled. My work was done. There were just too many people for Dumbledore to sneak in, though it didn't matter whether Dumbledore will succeed in sneaking in or not. My work was done and I took out the small marble from my pocket. I knew the number of muggle officials will outnumber the magical ones when everyone will come to know about the Durseleys. But I didn't care anymore. I had cared too much for them and it had led to my perish. Being selfish was good.

Activating the portkey, I popped away from the crime scene and went straight to Potter Manor. I knew Sirius would sleep for at least till tomorrow morning as the potions will make him do so. So I was with enough time to plan for my next targets – the Weaselys.

I called up Tibby. There was one last need of her for today. The little elf popped in front of me.

"What do you need Harry?" she asked.

"Take me to the Room of the Prophecies in the Department of Mysteries," I said. Tibby nodded.

Elf apparition was THE best thing to travel to places where normal apparition and portkey travel wasn't possible. I caught Tibby's small hand and popped away, finding myself a second later in the dark room of the prophecies. I told Tibby to stay with me and she obliged as I started going towards where my and Tom's prophecy was kept. I found it, already knowing where it would be, picked it up and tapped my phoenix wand. I heard as Trelawney's trance filled voice echoed throughout the silent room. That was it – it was the prophecy. I threw it hard on the ground, breaking it to pieces. I then cleaned up the mess and Tibby then took me away – back to Potter Manor.

Morning came with the latest edition of The Daily Prophet. The headlines made me smile.

'DARK MARK SPOTTED! MUGGLE FAMILY FOUND DEAD!'

I read through the entire article with interest. There wasn't much except for the fact that the ministry had somehow made the muggles forget the event from taking place. But the work was so difficult that the ministry had to even take help from the Unspeakables. This was also why I had gone to the room of prophecies soon after returning from Privet Drive. I knew with so many muggles seeing the dark mark, the ministry will be forced to take the help of the Unspeakables, which meant I wouldn't come across one in the room of prophecies. Though I had taken Tibby with me but avoiding risk as much as I could – it wasn't a bad thing.

No one but Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape knew that I lived in the house whose obliterated picture had been published in today's Prophet. I wondered what old Dumbledore was doing right now until my eyes fell on the column of Rita Skeeter. Her column on the matter was small but sharp. Sometimes she surprised me with her writings.

I read through the small article and found out she had noticed Dumbledore's reaction from the blast. And it didn't look like the headmaster was worried because of the dark mark but of something else. And I knew what it was.

I put down the paper as Tibby popped in front of me and told me that breakfast was ready. I asked him when would Sirius wake up and she informed me by noon. I thanked her and went over to the kitchen itself to have breakfast. Since the kitchen was very big, I liked having breakfast with Tibby. Both of us liked each others' company.

Noon came up a few hours later and I headed for where Sirius was. I stopped right in front of the door and touched my ear to it. A smile came upon my face as I heard the bed sheets moving. I opened the door and Sirius' eyes met with me.

"Hello, Sirius," I said.

He kept looking at me, trying to remember where he had seen me as that's what I thought when he was looking at me when he spoke.

"Ha...Harry?" he said. I nodded my head. The look on his face was a sight worth seeing as he looked at me with wide eyes and started to get up quickly. I ran up to him and placed both my hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him down.

"You are too weak to walk or do anything much physical, Sirius. Stay on the bed. It's me, Harry, your god son and you are in Potter Manor," I said.

His eyes were wet as he kept looking at me. I smiled again and hugged him. He clung to me like I was his only life support and cried like a small baby. I let him. As I had come to know, crying did help. It helped a lot.

It was a full three minutes later that his cries subsided down to sniffs as I broke the hug and looked at him.

"How?" he asked a minute later.

"Not now," I said. "Your mind and body is too weak to take anything that I will say as none of it is easy for even me to speak. Rest for now. I'll send for Tibby. Have something to eat and take rest. You need it after all those years in Azkaban."

00000

I let Tibby drop me to Gringotts. I had left Sirius back at the manor with another dose of the sleeping drought. His body was healing better while he was asleep. I went directly to the desk of Ragnok and he took me directly to his office.

"I was wondering when you'd come, Lord Potter," Ragnok said. "I received your letter."

"I came up today because I am looking forward for something that I think you'll do for me?" I asked.

"What is it?" the goblin asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I would like to close all of my accounts with Gringotts, take out all the jewelleries and other family items from my family vault as well," I said.

The goblin looked shocked for a moment. "May I ask why?" Ragnok asked.

"You will. It's just a secret and I can't tell you right now," I said. "I just wanted to know will it be possible. If it is, then you'll come to know of the reason when I will close my accounts."

"Hmm," the goblin said, rubbing his hand on his cheek. "It is possible," he said, "bit it will require a hefty fees from you, Lord Potter as the wealth of the Potter House isn't just a small amount. It has the amount of two of the founders, along with the wealth of the Peverrell brothers. All in all, out of the total amount of money the Gringotts is currently holding, your own account has almost one third of the total gold, probably more. I suppose you understand it isn't an easy task to be done within a day or two."

"I know," I said. "And that's why I will notify you when to initiate it. As for the fees, charge as much as you want. Take it from my vault; you have my permission for that. Also, if the other goblins will work on wages, give them from my vault as well."

"Thank you, Lord Potter," Ragnok said with a sly grin. "That's very kind of you."

I knew it was gold the goblins cared for after their warrior nature. I smiled back, a little nervous seeing Ragnok's sly grin.

"That's all I wanted to inquire today," I said. "As for the letter, it is of no significance to me anymore. I declare it invalid."

"So it will be, Lord Potter," Ragnok said. "I hope we will meet again."

"I do hope so, vault keeper Ragnok," I said and bowed to the soon to be goblin healer in respect. He bowed back.

Coming out into the atrium, I called for Tibby and she took me back to the Potter Manor. By the time the day's errands had been over, it was already night and I was tired. Tibby served me, Sirius and Herself a light dinner and we ate in silence. There was a small conversation of nothing important as I had told Sirius that I will tell him everything at the right time and he had understood it.

Wishing the two good night, I entered my room and got inside the bed. I picked up the small notepad on the bed side table and opened it, jotting down a few pointers and the names of my next targets who were the Weaselys. I had to improvise as I was Sure Tom would already have got his body back and that I or none others will see Quirrell back once we all go back to Hogwarts. He would've been long dead but my plan regarding Tom was halfway finished. He, regaining his body without using my blood gave me a huge advantage against him. I knew Tom was no threat to me now. It was Dumbledore and he was the primary target of mine. I couldn't go and kill the Malfoys as I was sure Tom would be residing there until his army was recreated once again.

Then there was Hermione and her family. I had a special plan for her and I smiled at the thought of seeing it being accomplished. She would not lose anything. All of this was happening too soon that even if Tom tried to come after me, there were not many who knew I and Hermione were friends. So she was safe from becoming a bait to lure me. And that's what I had wanted for her in the first place. Her house will be the first thing in the morning where I'd go. All of this was coming down hard in just a couple of days. I knew I was rushing but there was just no other choice. I had to do it all – for Hermione and for the betterment of the magical world even though I didn't care for it anymore. But there were people here who had supported me in the long run – people like Neville, Sirius, Remus, the Tonks and a few others.

I thought for sometime as I looked over to the names of the people I had just written. Satisfied for the time, I closed the pad, placed it on the table and went to sleep as the magical light within the room went out automatically.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I actually thought of a title for this as this is the second last chapter if this fic. I never had it planned out at all. Its idea had just popped within my head and so I wrote it. But those who know me know this as well that none of my fics are planned. They go as ideas pop into my head.**

 **Many a lot of things happen in this chapter and so I came up with a title for this chapter, too.**

 **00000**

 **I WILL WIN**

 **00000**

It was a day before Christmas.

And Voldemort had attacked.

Perhaps I was wrong about the time the bastard would take to return his terror. He was too fast, too quick to return and show the world who Lord Voldemort was.

A pop caused me to look up from the Prophet I was reading. Tibby, she put down the tray of my morning breakfast.

"How is he?" I asked.

"Good," said Tibby. "He is taking his new life quiet happily," she said.

I smiled.

[THREE DAYS AGO]

It was the morning after the day I had killed the Durseleys. I came down to find Sirius already waiting for me along with the morning edition of the Prophet. I first stopped at my heels but then continued to descend down. He was still weak from being in Azkaban as its cure didn't come quickly. I faked a smile as I stood facing him.

"Harry! Did you heard about your relatives?" he asked.

"I did," I said. "And I don't care about them. It served them right."

The dog animagus looked at me as if I was a completely different person. Well, I was.

"You...You are not feeling any pain for losing your blood relatives? I know they were cruel to you but the way you are acting is crueller!" Sirius said.

I had no time for these little talks. My real work had initiated since yesterday and I wanted it all to finish as soon as possible. I knew Tom was out as abductions had started to happen – on a large number and people were frantic over it since the dark mark was also made visible – by me.

I took out my wand while from I hand I casted a silent incarcerous, binding Sirius who fell on the floor, imbalanced from the spell. He looked up at me as if I had two heads but by then I had my wand at his forehead.

"Imperio!" I said and a faint white spell came out of my wand and touched Sirius' head and his eyes glistened for a moment before going back to normal. And I instructed him for what he needed to do and an hour later we both were inside Gringotts in the chamber of Bloodwrath, signing parchments as Sirius had given his everything to me, making me his heir and head of the Black house of anything ever happened to him. He also dissolved Lucius and Narcissa's marriage, disowned Draco from the line of heirs of the Black family and re-instated Andromeda as a family of the Blacks. All under my orders.

I also made him give a million galleons to Remus, a man I trusted and also write a will making Dora receive half of the Black fortune when Sirius will die. That was quiet a hefty amount of money.

It was an hour later that the two of us walked out of the bank. It was quiet the days as I was continuously taking rounds of Gringotts and some goblins would look up at me with raised eyebrows. The guards had almost got familiar of me and would smile whenever I would enter their banks.

Sirius had a Gringotts card which could be used as a credit/debit card in the muggle world. We two went straight to muggle London and to a property dealer. Since a galleon was equal to twenty pounds, there was enough money for Sirius to live on for the rest of his life even when he'd decide to live his life like a king. He deserved it.

I made him check in a five star hotel and once in the room, I obliviated him of any memories of the magical world, or his family or of me. I sneaked out while he was coming back to his senses from the spell's effects. A new life and a new world waited for him since now.

[PRESENT]

I filled myself up with the delicious food Tibby had prepared for me. Once finished, I went up to my room, took out a black cloak, wore it over and made a portkey to take me to the Leaky Cauldron and half an hour later I was in the ministry atrium.

The security checked my wand – the one with the basilisk core but seeing my expressions and the glamour I had used to make myself appear as a grumpy dark natured man, the wand weightier let me go without further delay. I grunted at him, just like Moody and walked forwards. I went straight to the office of Umbridge, knowing of her office hours that she wouldn't be in her office at the moment.

It was like last time when I, Hermione and Ron had sneaked within the ministry under disguise. But this time, it was just me. I was thinking of their expressions when they'd come to know that an eleven year old boy achieved this feat.

I entered office. No one paid any attention to me, perhaps because I was under a disillusionment charm. Such thick headed were the magicals and they think of themselves to be the greatest. I couldn't wait to get out of this place. But I had to find out what Tom's spies had come up with. I didn't know what Amelia was up to since I had obliviated her of my memories but it appeared as if there were no high security measures within the ministry. Fudge had screwed up big just like the last time.

I pulled out the drawer and took out the file just like the last time – the list of muggleborns and half bloods. I gritted my teeth. They were quick this time. And Voldemort had his spies within the ministry walls. And with Fudge still as minister, I wouldn't be surprised if the ministry was robbed right now.

I flipped through the pages and found Hermione's file. A cross over her photo was enough to get my temper high but I controlled my anger. This was enough proof for me to take on my next step.

I came out of the office and saw Umbridge coming towards me. She didn't saw me but saw the door of her office opening automatically and so her pace quickened. I smiled evilly. This would do for me to keep my temper. No one would realise that I was the culprit.

Oh, how magic could cause miracles!

I walked towards her, my empty hand ready with the spell. I brought it in contact to Umbridge and she lost her consciousness. I quickly cast a disillusionment charm on her followed by a feather charm, making her weightless and took her out of the ministry building. The scanners were off, failed to catch two disillusioned people leaving the ministry.

This was easy.

00000

I picked up a small pebble from the street of Diagon Alley and turned it into a portkey, taking myself and Umbridge to the forest behind Potter Manor. She was out so I first used an incarcerous and then woke her up, removing the disillusionment charm from her.

She woke up with a gasp and immediately recognised me. And her expressions weren't that of a happy one when she saw me.

"Potter!" she hissed.

"And hello to you, too, Umbitch," I said and without waiting for another second, fired off a cruciates, using all of my hate towards that grumpy toad of a woman. She screamed in pain and agony. Frightening the birds and small animals around as they all ran away due to the fear of a human toad's scream. Damn! She could scream quiet well.

"Who are the spies of Tom within the ministry?" I asked as calmly as I could while keeping up the cruciates.

"I...I don't know!" she said between her screams. I knew she was not lying and it wasn't her fault. I was just passing my time.

00000

I felt a bit relieved after leaving behind the body of the pink toad for the ants and spiders to finish it up for me. I took out the file of Hermione and looked at it, a frown on my face. They never learned and so they will pay it good this time for coming after her and her family.

00000

I returned from the muggle world after seeing Sirius who had now a new girlfriend. The relation between them looked quiet intimate. I was glad he hadn't forgot his charms for which he was famous in Hogwarts or else it would only take a brave heart to ask Amelia out on a date.

The girl's name was Christine. And I liked her. She was cheerful, bublee, and perfect for Sirius as she shared some of his traits like...well, I wouldn't go to that much detail.

I was glad he had found someone for as carefree and stubborn he was, someone like Christine was perfect for him.

A new memory of his new lifestyle... I was glad things had turned out to be so good to him after all these years.

00000

It was the day before the school would continue. I was at Gringotts, going through some files and business of the Black house since I had made Sirius hand me over the house's title. I was the head of house Black now.

I got the notice from Dumbledore, who still had no idea that I was the new head. The letter said that the Grimmauld place was in serious need for the Order was short of headquarters. Well, screw them.

I knew who the main people were of the order. And as far as I knew, Remus, the Tonks and a few others who had shown loyalty towards me, would not re-join the Order this quickly. Of course, Moody and the Weaselys were the first ones to join. Well, they all could do whatever they want. A little ritual was all I had needed to remove Sirius' magic and making him a muggle. Not even a squib but a muggle.

Living a hundred years in paranoia really takes its toll on you and you are left with nothing but the blind fury, the rage and the anger towards those who betrayed you. And your mind starts making plans, invent new ideas and it takes you to new heights.

From the records of the ministry of magic, Sirius' name was off. He was never born, never went to Hogwarts and never had friends called James, Lily and Remus. He was a no one, just a muggle. Sometimes, the shittiest of the laws made by the magical society turned out to be good for someone like me.

I knocked and the door to Ragnok's office opened revealing the regal goblin along with three other goblins that looked more regal, dangerous and rabid. The warriors and personal guards of Ragnok the seventh – Ragnok's father – the king of the goblin nation.

"Welcome, Lord Potter," Ragnok said as he saw me at the door. "We were only waiting for you. It will now begin." I nodded.

00000

Somewhere within the walls of the Malfoy Manor, I knew one half blooded bastard would've cried like anything until a few minutes ago. It was all gone – Tom's horcruxes. My idea had worked. Using the linking spell the goblins had linked all the horcruxes together and destroying one had caused the others to destroy as well, well, except for Tom of course. He was a living soul, the master horcrux if I had to put it bluntly.

I knew the old mad was oblivious to all of this as he was currently busy in finding me – too worried that I would be abducted by Tom's minions and he would lose his precious weapon. I had already seen several Order members roaming around in disguise, looking for someone in special – me. they would never find me.

I knew it was all over.

The ministry was already going to fall and no one would be able to save it.

I tapped into my core, taking hold of as much power as I could handle at the moment and apparated to Shell Cottage. I was lucky. The only person I didn't want to kill wasn't there. No one had noticed me. The place was just too vulnerable to be put under any sort of enchantments. So the Order members had, instead, glamour it to look like a ruined shack. It really looked horrible. But I could sense there were people inside, roaming around. And a particular Weasely matriarch with them.

I raised my wand and using my core's power, fired of a blasting hex while covering myself from a shield as well.

An explosion.

Nothing was left.

They were dead.

Molly, Dumbledore, everyone currently inside the house was dead.

I smiled and apparated away, appearing within the wards of the Burrow as it wasn't ever powerful enough to even stop a snitch from entering. I could see that my luck was with me. Gulping down an entire vial of Liquid Luck really was helping me out.

I could see Ginny, Ron and Percy. The twins were out and Arthur was at work. I smiled and raised my wand at the house.

00000

No one still knew that Dumbledore and his precious Order were dead. But Arthur and the twins, along with Charlie and Bill had come to know that they had lost three members of their family. And as expected, they thought it was the work of Voldemort.

The magical world was now aware that Voldemort had truly returned when they witnessed his rage under which he killed thousands in one go. He was wounded and a wounded snake was definitely more dangerous.

People went pale when they first saw him and his army apparate right in the middle of Diagon Alley. I waited, hiding in a dark corner under disillusionment charm. Waiting for the right moment to come. The Liquid Luck's effect will still last a few more hours but I needed only a second.

I saw an opening. Tom was busy casting a cruciates upon Ollivander. I closed my eyes, tapped into my core and brought out the tiring power I would need for this move.

I apparated, silently. This was what I had invented – an apparition which was completely silent.

I apparated right behind Tom who never noticed me behind him.

"Hello, Tom," I said and the snake head's head turned so fast that his neck would've snapped. His eyes glared with anger and hate as he saw me standing there, smiling at him.

"Potter!" he said and raised his wand at me to cast his most famous of the spells – the killing curse. I was waiting for this moment. My plans had worked out, he had returned, but soon he'd realise that his way of returning wasn't in his favour.

I never touched my wands, leaving them back in their holsters. Instead, I rose my two free hands, catching Tom's wand arm with one while the other went directly on his face.

The smell of rotting fresh being burning enveloped the air.

I smiled wide.

Tom was shocked as his damaged wand arm released the phoenix core wand which fell on the Alley's street filled with bodies and rubbles.

"You never knew," I said, "but you could never have touched me. I sent you the stone." His eyes widened. "I wanted you to come back without using a ritual in which you would've used my blood, making my mother's defence useless. I destroyed your horcruxes, Tom and now you are dead."

He couldn't speak. He could only look – in horror. The most frightening thing was happening to him.

He was dying.

I let his hand go. It had turned to ash. His face was popping up with veins. His eyes had gone redder. And his tattoo on his arm – its snake started to writhe in pain. The effect was visible.

Every death eater and dark creatures in the Alley fell on the ground, feeling the pain their master felt.

It took no more than three more minutes for my mother's protection around me to finish of the most terrifying, yet most dumb and foolish dark lord in the history of the magical world.

Like an open bag of sand, his ashy body fell and dissipated into nothing but black ash.

Tom Marvollo Riddle was dead.

And so were his minions.

00000

It was a month after everything had happened. The magical world was still recuperating and Hogwarts had been closed until further notice, cancelling all the exams, including OWLs and NEWTs.

I stood facing the two storey white house in the peaceful area of Crawley. I could see the three people inside moving.

The street was dark as it was night. But the hour wasn't so late for people to have gone to bed. It was merely ten thirty.

I knocked lightly on the door. The movements inside the house stopped. The door opened a minute later revealing a tall man around six feet four. He had a fit body with light brown short hair. Behind him, I saw a woman – same age as the man with shoulder length bushy brown hair.

Then I heard someone climbing down the stairs and my eyes catched hers. A mixed expression of smile and confusion came up on her face.

"Harry?" she said as she came near her mother. Her father and mother turned to look at her with confused eyes. They both then turned to look at me but I already had my wand out, pointing at them.

Something stirred within me, remembering how Hermione would've felt while doing this. But this was for their own safety. This was for her safety.

I took a breath in, never shaking my wand as the three figure stood still, looking at me with confused eyes though her eyes expressed something else. Something I knew I wouldn't be happy to know about.

I am sorry, Hermione. There is just no other way.

The air flew outside the house, bringing within the warm house, a gust of chilly wind as my wand's tip glowed with a faint white light.

"Obliviate!"

And it was done.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: The last chapter. Curse me or praise me...I don't know whether or not you guys liked this story or not. I honestly don't care.**

 **To J K Rowling: You made our childhood awesome by introducing us all to this amazing world of Harry Potter. For that, we are all forever grateful to you. We all also thank you to let us experiment with this universe.**

 **The world of Harry Potter always and will always belong to Rowling ma'am. I own nothing. I am just a normal guy who writes out of boredom.**

 **00000**

Fifteen years have passed. The world knows about the Potter industries, Potter communications and many more business sectors owned by me – Harry Potter. But what the world doesn't know is who this Harry Potter is. To them, he is a handsome tall man in his mid twenties. But they had actually never seen him ever. Neither on the screens nor in real life. They know he hates this fame and so doesn't want to come out and meet people. Still people love him because of the services he does for the society.

I woke up from a good night's sleep on my large king sized bed. I looked at the watch and saw the date. A smile came upon my face as I realised which day it was.

I got off, went over to the bathroom and took a shower and was ready within the next hour.

It was a good life – a bit too stuffed but a good life. Being one of the richest guys in the world did have its perks. Bu the best thing was, people had never actually saw this Harry Potter. He was just a name to them – the name of a guy whose company owned an industry in almost every part of the world.

Ragnok had done a marvellous job. And he had also created a fascinating story to my background.

To the world, a young orphaned child had now become a tycoon like none other had. That child started from the lowest of the levels. He was abused, used, manipulated and enslaved until he took things under his control and changed his world, followed by the world in which he lived. And then his influence expanded as the world got to know of his achievements. And honestly, none of this would've been possible without the wealth of my family and the two founders. Sirius' wealth, I had donated it using Ragnok, to Hogwarts where it will be used to pay for those children's fees who were from poor family backgrounds or who needed scholarships. I smiled at the thought. Hogwarts had changed since the day it had come under McGonagall's care. And though she was retired now, the school's performance only increased for Flitwick was now its headmaster.

Though I lived a king like lifestyle, my house was an average sized villa with me living alone with my dog Fluffy. I had named him after one special being who had almost eaten me when I was eleven.

00000

I walked down the streets of London, a small parchment in my hand, showing me the directions to reach that one particular person who always had a special place in my life.

The parchment worked like the Marauders' map but only showed three people's whereabouts on anywhere on the globe. The charms were enhanced and much more detailed. It had taken me three straight years to make this map – just for her.

My feet stopped moving as the map showed I had reached my destination. It was evening and I saw where the map had lead me to.

It was a small club beside a not so busy London street. The glass on the door showed the insides filled with smoke. But my eyes caught her and a smile came upon my face.

I pushed the door and entered the club, walking with calm and measured steps towards the counter, my eyes never leaving her. She didn't remember me and she didn't need to the way she did before. I took the seat next to her and called for light vodka.

The bartender brought me my stuff and I paid him. Taking a sip, I let the slight alcohol drink run down my throat as I turned to look at her. She was a bit different. She was wearing glasses. But it only added to her natural beauty.

"Hi," I said. She turned to me, eyed me for a second before smiling slightly.

"Hi," she said.

"I couldn't help but recognise you. You work for the Anton Labs, right?" I asked.

"I do," she said. "How did you know?" she asked.

"Well, I have a friend of mine who owns that research group," I said. "And one day I had accompanied him to see it. I saw you there. It really is amazing someone as young as you, being a scientist."

I saw her blush a little. 'Same old same old', I thought.

"I was a bookworm," she said slowly.

"And why are you saying it like it is a bad thing?" I asked. "You know, I had a friend, too and she was also a bookworm. But it was her intelligence and smartness which pulled me out of many life threatening situations."

"Life threatening?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, you know," I said, "she helped me complete my homework and all. If it wasn't for her, I was a goner in my studies. We stayed together until college before she went abroad as her new job demanded it."

She nodded her head slightly, seeming to understand it all. "What do you do?" she asked.

"I?" I said, pointing myself with a little shocked look. "I don't do anything. I just have a small house and a car with enough money to live my life the way I want."

"So you have rich parents?" she asked.

"I did," I said. "Lost them when I was very young. Everything they owned was then handed over to me."

"I am sorry?" she said.

"Don't be," I said quickly. "They aren't. I mean, I know I never became a spoilt brat so I think they are at least proud of me for that."

"Sounds like you are lying," she said. "You just said you do nothing but live on your parents' wealth."

"That doesn't mean I am a spoilt brat," I said in a mock defence. "I actually run a small charity foundation called 'Lily Evans Foundation for Young and Helpless Children'. The name's pretty bit but it does what it says. What I do is do for them. Just making sure no other children's life turns up like my childhood."

I saw her face. She looked a bit scandalised, chewing her lip. 'Don't do that!' I screamed mentally.

"You had a rough childhood?" she asked.

I nodded. "Would you like a drink?" I asked.

"Why would I?" she asked with a smile.

"Because if you do, I will have you the honour to listen to my stories," I said.

"Alright," she said, sitting up straight as I called the bartender and gave him her order.

"But before we start," I said, "tell me slightly about yourself. Where did you get your education?"

"I went to a boarding school I don't remember very much about," she said, blushing slightly. "I know it sounds pretty crazy. Who'd ever forget their school life?"

"I did," I said. "I was bullied by other students, bigger and stronger than me. So once I graduated, I tried my best and succeeded in forgetting about my entire school life. I don't even remember the names of my classmates though I would recognise them I I see them today. But don't keep much expectations from me on that part."

"So," she said after looking at me like I had two heads, "after graduating high school, I went to do my masters in Physics, my favourite subject. Though I liked literature the best but who gives importance to writers these days?"

"Don't be like that," I said. "If there won't be any writers, the scientists like you and many others will end up in asylums. You need writers as they ease up your minds with their magical work with words. The world needs them a lot, even more than scientists and inventors the main thing is, the world just doesn't understand their values. They think only science and engineers are the requirements of the world."

"Sounds like you also wanted to be a writer?" she asked.

"I did," I said, "for a time. but then I realised it would do me less good as my grammar is so horrible, I was sure that no one will read my books. Besides, I did try to write some but always got bored after a while or didn't get any further ideas to continue the stories."

"A valid reason," she said. "But I never got bored writing however, I did end up getting no more ideas. I did get a book of mine published, however," she said.

"Really?" I said. "What's it called?"

"A walk among the roses. It isn't that great a book. Not many have bought it."

"What's it about?" I asked.

"A girl," she said, "who discovers the truth about the world around her and realises how much it is different from what her parents and loved ones want her to think about it."

"Sounds like a good book," I said.

"Trust me, you don't want to read it," she said, waving her hand. "Anyways, my parents then sent me abroad as I wanted to go further studies and I returned back after three years and Anton Labs hired me as my college, from which I had graduated, recommended them that I would be an ideal candidate for their research group. I passed the test and here I am. Now, tell me about your story," she said.

"Promise me first that you won't tell anyone else about it," I said.

"Why?" she asked. "What are you, a thug?"

"No," I said. "I just don't want many people to know about me."

"So why are you telling me about yourself?" she asked.

"Because I appreciate those who do things on their own," I said. "A young scientist like you, I can imagine the hard work you had to put forth to reach to the level you are at the moment. And I really respect something like that in a person. You have impressed me."

My last sentence made her blush a little and I smiled mentally.

"So, then," she said. "Tell me about yourself."

"I think my name is enough," I said. "But I would like you to tell me your name once I tell you mine."

"Deal," she said.

"Harry Potter," I said as I brought my hand forward for her to shake. She looked shocked, knowing who I actually was. From the way I had said those words, I knew she could tell I wasn't lying. I heard her gulp down a load in her throat as her trembling hands touched mine as she shook my hand.

"Her...Hermione Granger," she said. I smiled.

 **00000**

 **A/N: Let me tell you I suck at romance or how to make a girl and a boy build in a likeable relationship during the first time they two meet. So don't sue me if you didn't like the last chapter but that's that.**

 **THANK YOU ALL FOR READING...**


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